A Gift From Within
by EnvySkort
Summary: Reeling from the effects of his past, Impmon decides upon an action which will restore the happiness Juri has lost. However, his choice involves great risks, many of which he is not prepared for.
1. Retribution Fulfilled

Sweat was now dripping freely from his face. Fatigue clung to every muscle, every tendon, every joint. He panted heavily, his shoulders hunched as the strength in his body dwindled down to practically nothing. He fought through the pain in his burning muscles as he landed punch after punch upon the force field surrounding Juri. Just seeing her in the state she was in forced him on.

He was running on adrenaline now…. No, not adrenaline. He was running on something entirely different.

Guilt.

He remembered the D-Reaper's words clearly, echoing mercilessly in the corridors of his exhausted mind. 'Beelzebumon,' the D-Reaper said, using Juri's voice, 'a digimon that tried to harm Juri Katou, and other human children, when they were in the Digital World.'

He knew that. He begrudgingly remembered it. His foolish, selfish quest for ultimate power drove him to accept the Sovereign's condition of destroying the Tamers, people who, time and time again, had tried to befriend him.

And for the sake of what?

Power? Respect?

Thinking about it between flashes of pain and the onset of utter exhaustion, he'd stolen the former, and did not deserve the latter in the least. In the end, all he'd earned was a sound, merciless beating from Gallantmon.

'Beelzebumon, the digimon that destroyed Juri Katou's partner Leomon, in order to load his data and become stronger.'

A chord struck in his heart which suddenly made him feel like disappearing. He remembered that day. He remembered that terrible scream Juri had uttered a few yards away from him as he laughed. He'd _laughed. _Watching Leomon fade away had no effect on him, nor did Juri's sobbing; at the time he'd been more interested in the enormous amount of data the Beast Digimon had stored within him.

'Beelzebumon, the digimon that destroyed Leomon… Destroyed Leomon… Destroyed Leomon….'

Destroyed.

An understatement, to say the least.

More like annihilated. Erased. Murdered.

And even so, Beelzemon knew that he'd destroyed more than just Leomon that day. He'd destroyed a significant figure in Juri's life, taken from her one of the few people she'd ever been able to fully connect with. With Leomon gone, her entire world seemed to unravel like worn fabric, falling into heaps of jumbled confusion, pain, and emptiness at her feet.

Continuing his barrage upon the shield, he kept his eyes on Juri's listless form. She was just as he remembered though the memory itself wasn't comforting in the slightest; her skin was pale, her face set in a melancholy vision of sheer inner emptiness. And her eyes….. So dull, so lifeless…. The longer he looked at her, the more he began feeling like a true monster.

Here he was, this all powerful Mega, and his victim was this small, shy, quiet little girl who'd never done him any harm. Yeah, that's how this sick Virus Type got his kicks: picking on helpless little girls. At least all of the power he'd absorbed from everything weaker than him wasn't going to waste.

The deepening of his guilt only made his punches stronger. The shield absorbed each one, and yet he continued. A sickening crack reached his ears as pain shot through his hand; he didn't know how many knuckles were broken, but he didn't care.

He was going to save her.

He was going to get her out of there, away from this monstrosity.

But most importantly… He was going to make up for his past deeds against her.

If it took another hour, another day, another week of this, he wouldn't care. This girl had been through enough because of him, and he'd be damned if he did nothing about this. After all… It was his fault that she was like this in the first place. By thriving off of her depression and sadness, the D-Reaper was using her like a battery and getting stronger by the minute.

This was too much…

Far too much.

This nauseating cycle of depression, anger, and frustration was becoming too much for him to handle… Each punch, though heightening in intensity and power, proved pointless against the Kernel's tough outer shell. Juri sat motionless within, surrounded by the disgusting, pulsating mass of red tentacles as though she were nestled in the belly of some hideous beast. A growl of frustrated agony erupted from deep within his core, bursting from the bottom of his gut and up through his throat as strong as his vocal chords would allow. His body burned with fatigue, and yet, a warmth seemed to surge from all corners of his form and concentrate themselves into his fist.

With as much strength as he could muster, he aimed his fist at the Kernel and let this strange new power fly. A blazing fireball, in the shape of a roaring lion, seemed to pour from his very soul, blasting the Kernel's hide with abandon.

His head swam; he felt as though he'd siphoned his very essence into the attack and now felt faint.

But he couldn't faint.

Not now.

Not as he looked up to finally see the result of all of this brute force…

His attack had destroyed its defenses, leaving a small hole in the Kernel… And he could see Jeri inside, standing, looking up at him with wavering eyes. He could hear the other Tamers battling the D-Reaper's drones behind him, but he was set on only one thing: the little girl waiting to be rescued, waiting to be taken away from this madness.

He remembered thrusting a hand toward her, pleading with her to take it…. But why… Why didn't she move? Their eyes were locked the entire time, each telling stories of fatigue, of strife, of fear and desperation.

He froze.

That's what was most apparent in her eyes. Fear.

Tears arose in those innocent brown eyes of hers, as though she were struggling to believe what she was seeing. His fatigue-laced words pleaded with her to move, to speak, to take his hand so that he could whisk her away from this, to alleviate the level of guilt and shame which gnawed at the back of his mind… And yet she remained.

It was when her mouth opened finally that Beelzebumon felt his entire world collapse. Three words were all it took to all but destroy him.

"You're not Leomon…"

Everything went silent after he heard those words. He didn't want to believe what he'd just heard, didn't want to remember them…. But they were burned forever in his mind. They echoed in the depths of his mind, scarring him deeper than any wound he'd ever suffered. Even as the hole began closing, he couldn't find it in him to be angry. Those words had hurt him, badly. He ignored the pain in his knuckles as he once again began pounding mercilessly upon the rejuvenated shield.

He knew he'd deserved that.

He deserved any harsh words she had to say to him, he was ready for that.

He should have known that, despite all of his hard work, he wouldn't become her knight in shining armor so easily, not after all that he'd done to her.

Jolt after jolt of pain electrified his knuckles, but he only focused on what had to be done. No matter how much of a monster he was, this little girl needed to be rescued.

He'd die before he failed her, he'd die before he allowed her to suffer anymore…

But all too soon did he get what he asked for.

Pain erupted across his spine as dozens of metal shards lodged themselves into him. It seemed to hit him all at once, and before he knew it, his world was beginning to go black.

Even so….

All he could think about on his descent was Juri…

And how he'd once again let her down.

At least this would be the last time.

He could feel himself fading away into nothing, dissolving into nothing more than shimmering specks of data. His consciousness now dwindling, he could only bring himself to think about the little girl he'd tried to save… The little girl he'd hurt in more ways than he dared to imagine… Blackness was creeping in, and as his eyes closed, he began to feel as though this was his fate, that this was what he deserved.

"Juri………. I'm sorry, Juri…… So…….. Sorry…………."

And then, nothing.


	2. A Chance Meeting

Calm green eyes lazily searched the protective canopy of the trees. Sunlight filtered through the leaves delicately, casting complex patterns of shadow and light across the lounging form nestled comfortably upon one of the lower branches. A leaf, carried gently by the wind, settled upon his nose.

He grumbled, sitting up and brushing the leaf off.

Impmon let out a heavy sigh, resting his face in his hands and massaging his forehead.

It had been months since the incident with the D-Reaper, and yet, he was still remarkably restless. True, he had his share of bruises and scars from the battle, but those were in the process of healing.

All except for one.

"Juri," he said silently to himself, resting a gloved hand on his arm. He'd spent many restless days and nights here in his tree, thinking about everything and nothing. However, Juri kept popping into his mind, making it impossible to think straight.

How was she doing?

Where was she?

…. Did she really mean it when she forgave him?

He winced as the last question blared in his mind.

'How,' he thought to himself, 'how could she have forgiven me, just like that?' He got to his feet, bounding into the boughs of another nearby tree. As he leapt, his mind began to race. 'Come to think of it….. Why did she forgive me…?' He paused, glancing out across the park and focusing on nothing in particular. His eyes wandered, taking in the various activities of the people around him. Since no answer came to mind for his latest query, he decided to indulge himself in people-watching, just like he used to.

A small smirk came to his face, not one of mischief, but of true unabated curiosity. A young couple strolled blissfully down the meandering path below him, hands interlocked, each step in almost perfect unison. Such an alien concept as love had always been a subject of mockery in his early days, but now… It produced a sense of calm in him, putting his inner turmoil at rest for a few brief moments. It was sweet, he supposed, that these creatures could form such strong unions together….

Which only served to remind him of his own connection with people… His own connection with his Tamers. He smiled inwardly, recalling his reunion with the two children. They'd welcomed him back as though he'd done nothing wrong, but their behavior toward him made him feel as though he'd been gone for ages. They'd truly missed him.

And they truly loved him, despite of the terrible things he'd done which, to this day, he still didn't have the courage to tell them about. But he knew them well enough to know that they'd still forgive him. That was the beauty of humans, a beauty he'd been blind to before: the enigma that is love, pure, unconditional love.

'Love,' he thought to himself. 'That's what it feels like, eh…? I guess I really do have it good here….'

Finally understanding the concept of love and what it meant to be partnered with humans made him feel good, but only for a moment. He lowered his eyes.

'Is that….. How Juri felt toward Leomon…?' He felt empty inside again. Reuniting with his Tamers gave him a sense of belonging, and knowing they loved him was the greatest feeling in the world…. And yet, the knowledge that it was this very feeling he'd robbed of Juri so long ago elicited a pained groan from the bottom of his heart. He shook his head, dashing toward the entrance of the park. He'd been here long enough; it was time to go home and entertain Ai and Mako until bedtime.

He smiled inwardly at the idea. Those two were quite a handful, and even though they had a drastic amount of growing up to do, he couldn't think of anyone he'd rather be partnered up with. They'd believed in him when he barely believed in himself, given him the confidence and the drive he needed to prove himself to the Tamers in their fight against the D-Reaper. He regretted having the toy given to him by Mako get destroyed during the battle, but simply knowing that the two children loved and believed in him kept the memory fond and vivid.

He stopped again, letting out an exasperated sigh.

Juri popped into his head again.

Would this never cease? Would his guilt never lessen, would his thoughts ever cease to be plagued by the inner turmoil he suffered at the mere thought of the girl? His eyes narrowed. What a selfish thought.

'Why should I be able to forget her?' He thought to himself. 'I hurt her worse than anything… It wouldn't be fair for me to forget about her so easily… It wouldn't be fair for me to get on with my own life while hers is still in a shambles….'

He growled again, beating a small balled fist against the side of his head. As if torturing himself over this was anymore productive. It would all be fine if he could work up the courage to actually sit down and talk with her…

But that was a completely different story.

Frankly, he was still disgusted with himself, and he wasn't about to let himself forget it. It was at a point where he felt that his life would never be on track again, not as long as he still felt so guilty and wasn't sure about Juri's true mental state at the moment.

His ears twitched.

Voices… Two distinct voices.

From his branch, his keen eyes scanned the area. Sure enough, two young girls were approaching his post, though they were luckily too engaged in conversation to notice him. He felt his breath get caught in his throat. It was Ruki, who was carrying a checkered blanket and a picnic basket….. And Juri. He froze where he stood.

"That was fun today, Ruki," Juri giggled, carrying her trademark handbag. She looked away shyly. "I don't really get a chance to go on picnics with friends too often…"

Ruki regarded the other girl with a smirk. "Yeah, well, it was an opportunity to get us both out of the house, at least. My mom has been going on and on about her latest trip to Paris. Frankly, it's boring the heck out of me. I figured I'd let my grandma take a turn doing the listening for a change."

Impmon felt his heart skip as Juri let out a laugh. It was sweet, cheerful…. It suited her kind disposition perfectly. She even looked better today, but that was probably because he hadn't seen her for a while. He'd pretty much been avoiding her out of shame, but he had to admit, she seemed to be doing well. Long gone was her pale skin, melancholy expression, and dull, listless gaze… Was she really back to normal…?

The two girls exited the park, followed closely by the purple Digimon as he ducked and hid within the trees. "Well, I'll see you later, Juri," Ruki said. Her voice softened a bit. "Take it easy, alright?" And with a wave, Ruki departed. With a faint smile Juri returned the wave, and then went on her own way, clutching her handbag close.

Impmon absently began to follow her. Nimbly leaping from tree to tree, his entire consciousness seemed to be focused on Juri… Was it, perhaps, his urge to look out for her that he'd exhibited months ago? His guilt possibly making a comeback? He didn't know, nor did he care. All he knew was that his body was carrying itself, following her, looking after her. He spied her facial expression as best as he could… She seemed to be lost in thought, her eyes focused on the sidewalk as she treaded along at a mild pace.

The bark on a branch shifted abruptly, and before he knew it, gravity took hold of him. With an alarmed yelp, his small form impacted with Juri's, sending them both sprawling across the sidewalk. The contents of Juri's handbag spilled out onto the sidewalk as well.

Juri rubbed her head, confused as to what just happened. However, her eyes brightened a bit as she spotted the dazed and confused Impmon laying on his belly right next to her. "Impmon?" She said softly, reaching over and nudging him. "Are you alright?"

He was woozy for a moment as he sat up, but as he heard her voice, his entire body stiffened. Their eyes met. Paralysis gripped his form like a vice, almost to a point where it was difficult to breathe. After all of these months of hiding in the shadows, not wanting to be seen, here he was exposed to the one person he had been trying to stay away from. "I-I…." He quickly averted his gaze to her belongings strewn about the ground. "S-Sorry…. H-Here, I'll pick this stuff up……" He began absently retrieving the items, his only goal being to help her clean them up and get out of there as soon as possible. Overridden with shame, guilt, and shyness, he wanted nothing more than to get out of her range of sight.

"I-Impmon--" She blinked confusedly. It was strange, she hadn't seen the little Digimon in months, yet out of the blue, here he was… She eyed him. 'Why… Does he look so scared….?' She timidly reached a hand toward him, pulling away as he flinched. "A-Are you…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" As his hand came to rest on the final object on the ground, his eyes absently wandered toward it. He felt his breath get caught in his throat, and he suddenly felt hollow inside.

Leomon's digivice.

She was still holding onto Leomon's digivice, after all this time…

He felt ill all of a sudden, pulling his hand away from the object as though it were on fire. He quickly jumped to his feet, bringing himself to look up at Juri for a split second. "I-I'm sorry…" He turned to sprint away.

"Impmon." Juri's voice pressed slightly, stopping him before he could leap to the safety of a nearby tree. There was no more running away, it seemed. Juri looked at Impmon's tense form, and then at the inactive digivice. With a slow sigh, she picked up the digivice, placed it into her bag, and walked over to the small Digimon. "Do you remember what I said to you before, Impmon…?"

No answer. His hands balled themselves into fists as a lump formed in his throat.

"Impmon," she said softly and slowly. Obviously, this encounter was dredging up long repressed memories, but regardless, Juri knew what had to be said. "I don't hate you, you know. If anything…. Since I forgave you…. I want you to become my friend…"

Still no answer. His shoulders trembled slightly.

Juri eyed him for a while, and then stood. After rummaging through her bag for a few moments, she made her way in front of him and knelt down so that they were eye level. He quickly looked away, trying to hide the obvious shame in his eyes. His eyes widened, however, as he felt her take his hand. He looked up at her questioningly, and she gave a slight smile, indicating toward his hand. He curiously turned his attention toward his hand to see a small folded piece of paper. Opening it, he squinted his eyes to try and make out what it said. He'd never been good at reading, so he sheepishly held it up for her to read to him.

She only smiled. "It's an invitation to my birthday party tomorrow," she said. "I'd really like it if you came… After all, you are a part of the group. It doesn't do you any good to be by yourself all the time, that's what Ruki told me today."

Impmon looked at the invitation, and then back up at Juri with wavering eyes. "You… You want me to come…?"

"Of course," she said. "I'm inviting people who are special to me. And you're special to me, Impmon."

"B-But….."

"Don't worry; you don't have to get me anything. I just want the company, that's all. Plus, there'll be cake and other goodies there too." Her eyes softened. "But… If you don't want to come, you don't have to… I just figured that extending the greeting to you would be good… We don't see you anymore, Impmon, and we want you to be a part of the group…"

He didn't know what to say; even his trademark snarky comebacks weren't coming to mind. "I… I'll come….." He wasn't expecting Juri's face to brighten up so much, blushing slightly at the sight.

"Great," she said ebulliently. "I'll see you tomorrow!" With that, she ran off.

Impmon watched as she disappeared into the evening, completely dumbfounded about what had just happened. He looked down at the invitation, contemplating what this truly meant. 'She……. She really wants to be friends with me…? Does that mean that she's truly forgiven me for…..' The image of Leomon's digivice came to mind, and a heaviness filled his heart.

If only he had access to a great gift, a gift that she truly deserved.


	3. Back Amongst Friends

The tune of "Happy Birthday" filled the air, along with excited laughter, clapping, and joyous conversation. Shreds of multicolored wrapping paper ranging from brilliant pinks to electric blues lay in a heap, and a dozen plates full of cake crumbs and discarded forks and napkins sat on a small blanket in the middle of the park lawn. Juri's parents had something planned for her later that night, so she had all day to enjoy the party her friends had set up for her.

"Aww, come on Takato, can't I have more cake?" Guilmon whined, eyeing the remainder of the cake with hungry eyes. The dinosaur's tail wagged ever so slightly as he searched his Tamer's face for the response he wanted to hear.

Takato only sighed, placing his hand on the Digimon's snout. "Sorry, buddy, the rest of that goes to Juri and her family. They want to celebrate her birthday with her too, you know, and they deserve some cake as well," he explained, though a twinge of guilt went through him as a look of disappointment came upon Guilmon's face.

"That's what you get for eating it all in one bite," Terriermon teased. "Did you even taste it?"

Jenrya nudged his partner playfully. "Come on Terriermon, knock it off. You'll only make matters worse." The rabbit Digimon only chuckled, taking his usual post on his Tamer's shoulder and resting one floppy ear across Jenrya's spiky hair.

Ruki only smirked. "So I guess we picked out a good birthday cake, eh Renamon?"

The golden fox nonchalantly nudged her food with a fork. It was a bit sweet for her taste, so she decided to be generous. "Here, Guilmon, you can have the rest of mine." No sooner did she set it in front of him than he began eating furiously as though he hadn't had anything in his stomach in days. She rolled her eyes. "Thank you, Renamon," she said to herself sarcastically.

Juri surveyed her friends with a smile spanning from ear to ear. This was by far her best outing all year, and what was best about it was that she was spending it with people who were near and dear to her. She'd never had friends like them in her life, and while she was still getting used to the feeling of actually belonging with such people, she enjoyed every moment of it. Each of them had gotten her a gift; the gifts were small, but she cherished them anyway: A new hair scrunchie from Takato and Guilmon, a teddy bear from Jenrya and Terriermon, and a small diary from Ruki and Renamon. All things considered, she'd definitely be documenting this experience in her diary that night. It made her feel good to know that everyone was having a great time, however….

Impmon seemed to be trying to make himself invisible. He wasn't speaking too much, and definitely wasn't being his normal rambunctious self which everyone had come to know and, well, tolerate. Curious about his covert demeanor, Juri made her way over to him.

He looked up at her with large green eyes when he finally noticed her standing in front of him, a wide grin on her face. "Hi, Impmon," she said. "I'm so glad you came, it wouldn't have been the same about you here!" She looked around. "Your tamers aren't here?"

"Huh? O-Oh, no, they're not," he said, taken somewhat by surprise. "They had to go stay home because their grandparents are visiting now."

"Oh, I see," Juri said, looking away. "Well, are you having fun?"

Impmon's eyes brightened. "You bet, I never thought birthday parties could be so much fun." With all due consideration, this was one of the first birthday parties Impmon had been to. While the concept was still a bit alien, something about the brightly colored banners, the delicious refreshments, and the ridiculous party games made it an experience he wanted to have again and again. "I just wish I could have gotten you a gift or something…"

Juri only smiled. "Don't worry about it. It's great just having you here, instead of in your tree by yourself."

"H-Heh, yeah…." He grinned sheepishly. With an inward smile, he had to admit that he was happy to be there. More importantly… He was happy that he was actually welcome there. A hand gently touched his shoulder, and he glanced up to see the ever comforting figure of Renamon behind him. He felt a flush of warmth rush through his face as his cheeks reddened; it had been so long since he'd seen her, he'd almost forgotten how good it felt to be around her. Those eyes, which had always regarded him with compassion, understanding, and discipline now shone down upon him gracefully. Her hand upon his shoulder was warm and inviting, sending a small shiver up his spine. "F-Fox face……?"

"Has it really been so long, Impmon?" She chuckled softly. "It is good to see you again."

He averted his gaze. "Yeah… It has been a long time…"

"You just disappeared… We don't see much of you anymore, though I am glad to see you here."

His blush only deepened. "W-Well… Juri invited me, so….."

She regarded him silently. "You'll start enjoying company when you stop despising your past, Impmon…"

He only sighed, placing a hand on hers and watching the children laugh and talk. "You may be right…… I just don't have the courage just yet."

The party continued into the evening, ending with the backdrop of one of the most beautiful sunsets of the season. Rich mauves, indigos, and vermilions created a veritable dreamscape in the sky above as diamond-like stars slowly began making their appearances. The darkening of the sky hushed the vibrant colors of the park, and as if on cue, the lampposts spread their lazy white glow upon the ground below. One by one, the Tamers and their partners began to leave, wishing Juri a happy birthday and good tidings, as well as promises to meet again soon. Remembering the plans her father and stepmother had set for her, Juri decided that it was her time to leave as well.

Impmon stayed behind, doing menial tasks such as making sure all of the garbage was gone, as well as helping Juri gather her presents. For the most part, however, he was more interested in observing her. He didn't know why, but seeing her so happy put his mind at ease, offered a bit of relief for his constant self-loathing guilt he forced upon himself whenever he thought about her. Deep down in the bottom of his heart, he truly felt that the best part of the day was seeing this kind girl wear such a warm, genuine smile.

But the fact still remained that he truly wanted to get her a birthday present. It wasn't so much that he felt pressured to… It was something deep inside of his heart. He'd seen how happy the other presents made her, and he figured that any ounce of happiness he could give her in order to replace the pain he'd caused her would work just fine.

Was it selfish of him to want relief for this guilt?

He didn't know… All he wanted was Juri's happiness, no matter what the cost.

"Juri?"

Both Juri and Impmon looked up to see Takato approaching them. The boy looked around shyly, as though making sure that no one was looking, and then turned his eyes to Juri with a slight blush in his cheeks. "Takato, what is it?" Juri asked cautiously.

"I-I have another present I wanted to give you, but I didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone else," the boy said. He stood close to her, planting a quick kiss on her cheek and pulling away as his blush reddened. "H-Happy Birthday, Juri…" Juri looked speechless for a moment, putting her had onto her cheek and giggling shyly.

Impmon looked from Takato to Juri in confusion. Were the two of them just like the couple he'd seen in the park earlier, the ones immersed in each other's company? The ones who were in love…? It took him a while to remember what a kiss felt like, and when the memory came to him, he couldn't help but smile. When Ai had kissed his cheek not long ago, it had produced a weird feeling in him… But it was a good feeling. It made him feel important, loved, cherished... And the fact that Takato was conveying that to Juri came across as a very interesting concept. With another bashful laugh, Takato left on his way, joining up with Guilmon who was waiting at the park gate.

"Impmon?" The small Digimon turned his attention to Juri, whose cheeks were still slightly pink. "Would you like to walk me home?"

After a brief moment, Impmon nodded absently, taking a handful of presents as Juri boxed up the remainder of the cake. They walked in silence for a while, Juri still in a daze about Takato's special gift for her, and Impmon simply lost in thought…. He had to admit, these past few days had been a bit awkward for him. After having not seen Juri for so long, he'd have expected her to be regarding him with unabated animosity, or at least a covert grudge… But there were no signs of either, no negative vibes coming from her at all…

And he didn't know why, but he couldn't find it in him to accept it.

It wasn't necessarily the case that he wanted her to hate him…. It was more along the lines of him not expecting such nice treatment such as this….

"So, did you have fun today?" Juri asked cheerfully, glancing down at him. He took a while to answer, his eyes downcast at the sidewalk. "Impmon?"

"Huh? O-Oh, yeah…… Y-Yeah, I had lots of fun…."

She eyed him slightly. "Are you alright?"

More silence.

"Juri…….. You've been really nice to me lately……."

"…..Yes..?"

Another bout of silence.

"Why…… Are you being so nice to me?"

She giggled. "What, do you expect me to be mean to you?"

Impmon stopped in his tracks, glaring down at the sidewalk. "I just…. I want to know why, that's all………"

Juri noticed his voice wavering a bit, and then turned to face him. "I'm nice to people I like, that's why, Impmon."

"But…."

"But what?"

"……… I don't deserve it, Juri, I really really don't…"

Juri felt a twinge of sadness as a tear squeezed its way through the small Digimon's tightly shut eyelids. "Impmon….. Why would you think something like that?"

"Because of what I did to Leomon." There was a palpable silence, and he looked away. "What I did to Leomon… What I did to you….. There's no way you should be being so nice to me." He looked back at her, his marbly eyes full to capacity with tears. "You…. You liked Leomon, but I took him from you… I took him from you, Juri…" His small shoulders shuddered as he let out a hitched sob, tears streaming down his face.

Juri regarded him for a moment, drawing in a slow breath. She set down the box holding the cake and reached into her handbag, her fingers slowly searching through her belongings. She flinched a bit when she came across the object she was seeking, and drawing in another breath, pulled it from her bag… Leomon's digivice. "Impmon…. Come sit with me, please." Juri sat on a nearby bench, indicating for him to follow. The small Digimon made his way over and sat beside her, trying in vain to wipe the tears from his eyes. A numb sensation filled his frame as his eyes traveled to the digivice now resting in Juri's hands, and as shameful as he felt, he couldn't look away from it. "I….. Didn't know what to think when Leomon became my partner… I've never been strong, smart, or brave… But when I figured out that he was my partner, I realized that… He was everything that I wanted to be, and I loved him dearly for it…. And when he died… It felt as though the best part of me went with him."

Impmon chanced a glance up at Juri's face, feeling a sharp pang of guilt shock his system as a small tear streamed down her face. 'Juri…….'

"But…. Even when he was dying, he said something to me…. Something that made that entire moment between us bittersweet…." She turned her eyes skyward, holding the digivice close to her heart. "He told me to always remember that I was strong on the inside, and that my strength came from me always loving and caring for other people… He told me I had the heart of a lion… And even though he's gone… Nothing is going to take away the feeling those words gave to me. Moving on has been hard, I won't lie. When I see the others with their partners, I feel a bit lonely, but…. When I remember Leomon's words, it reminds me that no matter what, he's always alive within me, in my heart and in my mind."

"Within….. You…….." Impmon said almost to himself. For some reason, those two words seemed to speak to him, and they spoke in volumes that he could hear with every fiber of his being. He absently placed a hand on his chest, losing himself in thought as though trying to contemplate a concept which was almost impossible to grasp. 'Within………'

"Impmon…?" Juri eyed him curiously; what could he possibly be thinking about so hard? She reached a hand toward him…

"Juri."

She was somewhat startled; his voice seemed to come out of nowhere. "Y-Yes?"

"…….. Is it too late…. To give you a birthday present?"

She quirked an eyebrow, not sure as to where this conversation was going. "Well, I suppose not…. But Impmon, you don't have to--"

"I want to," he interjected, looking up at her with determined eyes. "I….. I really want to give you something."

She eyed him, silently searching the determination in his eyes for whatever meaning lay within them. She wanted to understand what was going on, wanted to understand why Impmon was suddenly so dead set on getting her a gift, but to no avail. Only able to manage a slight smile, she nodded her head. "Alright… If you really want to, Impmon, you can get me something." She wanted to smile as Impmon's face brightened, but something inside was causing her to hold back the smile she wished to return. Impmon's entire demeanor seemed to change, and he enthusiastically walked her home and dashed off into the night soon after. She glanced into the family room to see her parents waiting for her, and then turned her eyes to the evening sky once more. 'Impmon………..'

Impmon dashed from tree to tree at breakneck speed, his mind set only on reaching his goal: the rift leading to the Digital World in Guilmon's old cave. He didn't know why he didn't think of this gift sooner, and swore inwardly to himself for having been so immersed in his own self-loathing to think straight. A golden streak dashed past him and, landing at the steps just before the cave, he looked around to find the source of it.

"We meet again," came a voice, low and calm, seemingly from all around. He recognized it, and a small smirk came to his face.

"So it seems." Impmon turned his attention to a figure standing solemn upon a lightpost only a few feet away from him, and with uncanny grace, the figure leapt down to greet him. She searched him with piercing blue eyes, her tail twitching in an almost contemplative manner as she walked up to him. "What brings you out here anyway, fox face?"

Indeed, it was Renamon, and the golden Digimon only gave a light chuckle in response to hearing her nickname from long ago. "Since there have been no threats from the Digital World for some time now, I've taken up the hobby of scaling the rooftops at night. It's just something to keep me occupied. Yet on my journey, I came across you walking Juri home and couldn't help but overhear your conversation with her..."

"So you were eavesdropping, eh? That ain't your style, fox face." He gave her his playful smirk. "You know you just missed the sound of my voice--"

"I did."

His eye twitched and a warm blush came to his cheeks, which was only made painfully obvious due to the fact that his face was already white. "I-I see, well… Yeah, I guess I've missed you too."

"It is just because we don't see you anymore. Surprisingly, it is Juri who is constantly asking about you."

His tough demeanor dropped. "She……. She does?" He looked up at her quizzically, and she only nodded in response.

"I don't mean to pry, but… About your conversation with her… Impmon, you seem to have forgotten that she's forgiven you…. Are you still beating yourself up over your past?"

He looked away, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Well…. I mean……."

Renamon took a few paces away from him, gazing out into the night. "She's become stronger, Impmon……. This isn't to say that Leomon's death was a good thing…. She's learned to let go of her depression for the most part, and now favors looking toward the future and taking care of those who are dear to her… And quite frankly, you are one of those people."

"She told me that."

"…..But you still don't think you deserve it. You think you deserve the scorn that you've been giving yourself this whole time by isolating yourself."

Impmon began making his way up the steps leading to the cave. "You could say that. That's going to change, though."

"Oh?"

"I……. Didn't have a present for her at her party, but…. When I was talking with her, an idea came to me, something I wish I would have done sooner."

She cocked her head slightly. "Yes….?"

"I gotta go to the Digital World for some information first, though….. Either way…. This is going to be a present directly from my heart… From…. Within me."

She eyed him for a while. They'd been friends for so long, she could tell when something was amiss with her smaller friend, and this situation was no different. He was contemplating something, and no matter what, for her life she could not figure out what it was. "So….. This present you plan to get Juri….. It's only available in the Digital World…?"

"Errh, technically yeah," he said sheepishly. In fact, he still didn't have his entire plan thought out… He just knew he had to consult someone on the matter first, and since he wanted it to be a surprise, he couldn't tell anyone, not even Renamon. Deciding to try and cover his tracks and avoid looking suspicious, he gave Renamon his trademark smirk. "So, can I rely on you to keep a secret, fox face? This present's gonna be the cat's meow, so I don't want anyone knowing about it, alright?" With that, the small Digimon dashed up the stairs and through the rift leading to the Digital World, leaving behind a very confused, very suspicious Renamon.

'What are you up to, my little friend…….?' She thought to herself. She sighed. A promise was a promise. He wanted whatever this stunt was to be a surprise, so no matter how confused she was, she'd speak nothing of it. The most she could do was wait until she saw him again. With no way of determining when that would be, however, Renamon deftly leapt off into the night.


	4. Guidance

A single breeze blew as Impmon surveyed his surroundings. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath as the wind seemed to envelop and caress him, as though it were welcoming him home. He glanced behind him to see the almost liquid-like sphere hovering mysteriously in the sky, dozens of white, glowing data streams buzzing and skimming across its fluid surface like searchlights. He'd forgotten how beautiful his home was, but he had more important matters to attend to.

After all, he had a gift to deliver… A very important gift. Finding out how to attain said gift, however, was going to be a bit more difficult. After all, all he had driving him right now was ambition; information and knowledge, not so much.

He flinched as something flitted past his ear, and out of the corner of his eye, caught sight of a glowing white figure darting past him. A cheerful, familiar chattering noise filled his ears, and before he knew it, a small pack of Digignomes joyfully encircled him, chattering happily and excitedly. He quirked an eyebrow at the jubilant creatures, deciding to humor them for a little while at least until they calmed down.

He couldn't help but smile; their excitement reminded him of the reactions of Ai and Mako whenever he came home. Even after all this time had passed, they'd treat him as though he had been gone for days if he was out for 10 minutes…. Had they truly missed him so much? And what did that say about how they felt when he was practically drowning in his lust for power and need for self-identity?

"Alright, alright, that's enough," the small Digimon said finally; the Digignomes showed no signs of losing their enthusiasm any time soon, and he had something important to take care of. He drew in a deep sigh and tapped his foot impatiently as they circled him a few more times, and then hovered just in front of him patiently. "I need some information that involves the workings of data and imbedded data… Where can I go?" The Digignomes chirped and quipped excitedly, and then took off across the vast digital terrain. "Hey!! Wait up, I can't…" He stopped himself mid sentence, concentrating hard and closing his eyes. His body began to tingle as warmth surged from his very core into his outermost extremities, bathing him in shining light. In a brilliant flash, Beelzebumon now stood where Impmon had been. With two swift footsteps and a powerful flap of his wings, Beelzebumon was airborne and quickly caught up to the Digignomes. Upon seeing him, however, a few of them made excited noises of fright while others chattered angrily and darted around him viciously. "Hey, hey, relax! I'm a good guy now, a good guy!" He refrained from batting them away to prove his point, and as they backed off, he couldn't help but sympathize with them.

In truth, he never thought he'd be calling himself a "good guy," simply because, even after the changes he'd made in himself, he didn't feel like he truly deserved the title. Sure, he'd helped in a preliminary fight against the D-Reaper, he'd tried to save Juri and Culumon, but he didn't feel as though that was enough… Not enough to cover the tracks he'd made in the past. And in a way, he felt that he never would.

The odd thing was, he was okay with that.

He didn't want to spend all of his time trying to make up for past deeds.

It wasn't that he didn't care, or that he was tired of feeling sorry for himself… In the time he'd spent with Juri these past few days, he found himself more drawn toward actually becoming her friend than relieving his own guilt. He figured that doing things just to make himself feel better was positively selfish; seeing her truly happy was all he wanted.

That's why he was here, doing this final task for her sake as well as his own. After this, there'd be no more hiding behind rocks or up in trees, no more freezing up when he heard her voice. He wanted them to be equal… He wanted a relationship with her, like the relationship he had with Renamon and the others. If he could do this last thing… The relationship he desired may be possible.

His attention turned back to the Digignomes as they finally came to rest and flew in excited circles at the top of a cliff. Beelzebumon landed, and then cautiously approached them. There was something weird about the air here… It was kinetic, as though every molecule in the air was as excited as the Digignomes. As he approached them, his eyes fell upon a large, daunting mass of black clouds hanging ominously in the sky. The storm seemed to engulf the entire sky in this region, streaks of lightning snaking their way through the portentous clouds at intermittent moments. Before he could inquire about their whereabouts, the Digignomes made a beeline into the storm above.

He quirked an eyebrow; he didn't know whether to be confused, worried, or both. It was silent for a moment with the exception of a few calm rumbles of thunder in the distance. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was here; something huge… Something powerful… But before he could contemplate further, the kinetic activity in the air seemed to increase exponentially. His skin tingled, and he felt his hair standing almost on end. His eyes unconsciously traveled skyward as, flanked by the Digignomes, the enormous form of Azulongmon descended from the storm and gracefully coiled himself upon the cliff Beelzebumon waited upon. Beelzebumon stood, overwhelmed and awestruck, as two pairs of wise, ancient eyes regarded him silently.

"You," the dragon spoke finally in a low, booming voice, "I have heard of you… You were Zhuqiaomon's servant once, were you not?"

Beelzebumon flinched slightly. "…….Yeah, I was……"

Azulongmon eyed him solemnly. "Do not be ashamed… While your reputation as an assassin exists, your reputation as a hero exists as well. Your efforts in the Human World against the D-Reaper were valiant and selfless--"

"Pardon the interruption," Beelzebumon said quietly, his eyes downcast, "but if you don't mind… That's enough with the compliments, because I don't want them." A bewildered look came upon the large dragon's face. "Instead of giving me compliments… I need some information about data, and imbedded data."

"Data… And imbedded data, you say?"

"Yeah."

Azulongmon took a moment to contemplate what he wanted to say. For the most part, Beelzebumon's question was remarkably vague, and with his vast knowledge of the subject, Azulongmon knew he'd have to try and summarize it. "Well, as you know, all Digimon are made of data. Data is, for lack of a better term, like our DNA. We all belong to different Digimon families, have differing affiliations, but all of us have our own personal make up which makes us who we are."

"What about…. When Digimon die….?"

"Well, that's a different story entirely. You see, when Digimon die in the Digital World, their data is sent to something called the Primary Village, where Digimon are "born" in a sense…"

Forgetting his initial fear, Beelzebumon pressed the old digimon for more answers. "So…… If a digimon's data was dispersed into the air, it somehow gets siphoned into this Primary Village place and they're reborn just as they were…?"

The ancient dragon hesitated.

Beelzebumon's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion and frustration, though he knew that he'd have to keep his composure; this digimon's knowledge was going to help him in the long run. "What's with the pause…?"

"Well… The Primary Village is the birth place of all digimon, but more often than not, Digimon are not reborn with their personalities in tact…"

Beelzebumon suddenly didn't like where this conversation was going, but he hesitantly continued his query. "What about…. Memories….?"

"……. There is a high probability that, in most cases, memories will be gone. You must remember, rebirth does not simply mean continuing the life that once was. With rebirth, you get a new life, which means your memories of your past life will either not exist, or be vague to the point where they can not be understood."

There was a long silence between them as Beelzebumon let the reality of his query sink in. 'If I could bring him back………. He'd have forgotten his memories of Juri…. Would there even be a point…? It'd just hurt her even more…..'

"Is…. There anything else I can discuss with you….?"

"….. I gotta tell you somethin'…. When I came here, I was stupid to think this would be easy, that everything would go back to normal if I decided to do this… And now that you've told me the truth behind data, now that I know about the truth behind rebirth, I still have to do this…." He looked up at Azulongmon. "When I was working for Zhuqiaomon, I did a lot of messed up stuff. I… I messed up a little girl's life by killing her partner and uploading his data… So I gotta ask… Is there any way I can get his data separated from mine, and sent back to her in the Human World? I…. I know it sounds crazy, but… This little girl… She's suffered enough because of me, even though she don't act like it now, I know she still misses him. That's why I need to have this done. Please…."

Small currents of electricity crackled across Azulongmon's serpentine form as he thought long and hard about how to answer this question and grant this complex request. He only knew one way, which in itself was risky beyond comprehension. "There is… A way…." He felt no relief when Beelzebumon's eyes lightened; this wouldn't be easy to explain. "There is a concentrated stream of light hidden deep in the forest, called the Scanner. It was created long ago for the sake of relieving Digimon of any data which they uploaded needlessly, or data which was harmful to them. Only the Digignomes know of its location, so I will have them take you there… Once there, you must stand within the Scanner's beam, and state the name of the file data you wish to have removed, as well as where you want it sent."

Beelzebumon couldn't help but notice the forlorn tone in Azulongmon's voice. "What's the catch?"

"It's not so much of a catch…….. It is a very risky, very dangerous procedure."

"How so?"

"As it scans you, it weakens you tremendously. Imbedded data such as this can only be successfully downloaded and siphoned if the host data's defenses are weakened. In other words… You are to be scanned until you are near death before the data can be extracted, and even after it is uploaded successfully and sent to the desired place, you must exit the Scanner beam quickly before it completely destroys you. And even if you live… The removal of this data, especially since it made you so strong, will leave you eternally weakened."

Beelzebumon let Azulongmon's words sink in, drawing in a heavy sigh. A dozen thoughts dashed through his mind at once; the severity of this procedure was making his head spin. There were so many factors against him at this point: the possibility of Leomon not having his memories, the possibility of dying during this process, and the reality of being mortally weakened after the process was complete. However, with the idea of Juri's happiness in mind, he found a new bravery which took the place of his prior hesitance. He was willing to risk being a bit weaker if it was for the sake of giving Juri back the one thing she loved more than anything. "You can spout as many particulars as you want. I need to do this. No… I want to do this, no matter how much of a risk it is against me."

Azulongmon eyed him quietly. "Very well," he said after a few moments. "When you are ready, consult the Digignomes, and they will take you to the Scanner. Luck be with you."

The Digignomes swirled around Beelzebumon as he began walking away, his mind positively racing. The dual emotions of fear and anxiety nagged at him relentlessly, almost to a point where he wanted to collapse and just stare off into the distance. 'Do I……. Really know what I'm doing….?' He hated to admit it, but he felt selfish for feeling like this. After all, he'd made the decision to come here and ask for information on this… He should have figured that data removal wasn't going to be an easy, painless procedure… But it was for Juri's sake. He had to keep telling himself that.

And losing sight of his true objective was not an option, not now.

"I'll be back later, guys," he said to the Digignomes quietly. "I…… I gotta get back and let her know I'll be delivering her present tonight…" The Digignomes flitted out of his way as the Demon Lord Digimon walked past them, making his way back to the data streams that would take him back home.


	5. Decision

He didn't know how long he'd been sitting outside Juri's window, concealed by the dull green foliage of the trees, waiting for her to return home from school. He didn't know why he had such a sense of fear, of dread bearing down upon his very psyche. He'd already agreed to go through with getting scanned… Well, verbally, anyway.

Mentally, he felt as though he were going out of his mind for making a decision like this.

Perhaps it was because, when he told Juri, it would mean that he'd have to go through with it. Sure, he said that he'd do it… Actually going to get it done, however, was a different story. It was for that reason he'd decided not to tell her the details about her gift; he'd leave the hints vague and not give her reason to worry. He knew if he told her that he was risking his life for this, she'd never let him go, and she'd never be able to forgive herself.

But that was just silly.

It wasn't her fault that her best friend's data was inside of Impmon's body, nor was she pressuring him to get it removed and revived. All of that was his fault.

However, that's just how Juri was. She never ran out of ways to blame herself for the troubles her friends suffered, almost to a point where it was hard to do anything for her. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the efforts… She'd just appreciate the efforts more if they weren't a visible burden.

"Why do you look so glum?"

Impmon felt himself practically jump out of his skin, and it was only because of an incredibly tight grip upon the branch he was sitting on that he didn't plummet to the ground below. Catching his breath, he glanced up toward where the voice had come from. "You really gotta stop doin' that, you know," he said, regaining his composure to an extent and leaning against the tree casually. "You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days."

Two paws daintily alighted upon the branch he sat on without a sound. Ice blue eyes searched his face calmly, as a long, soft tail swayed back and forth contemplatively. Yet again, Renamon had made one of her spectacularly covert appearances; she always had a knack of taking him by surprise, even though they'd been best friends for ages. "Be that as it may… You seem troubled, more troubled than usual."

He waved off the comment, his tail twitching lazily like a cat's. "Just waiting for Juri to get home from school that's all."

"I see… Does this have anything to do with the 'surprise present' you intend on giving her?"

"…. Yeah."

"I don't see anything."

"It's not here yet. I've…. Got to go get it."

"Well where is it?"

"You ask a lot of questions."

"Is it so terrible to be curious?"

Before he could answer, Impmon's ears perked up as they caught the sound of Juri's voice not too far from where they sat. "I'll be right back."

Renamon eyed him as he leapt down. He was lacking his usual demeanor today; he was so reserved, and kept all of his answers short as though he were busy contemplating something else. She folded her arms and watched as the small Digimon ran up to Juri. She knew him like the back of her hand; it wasn't so much that she could sense he was hiding something, he was simply being more secretive today than he usually was. 'Impmon... What are you hiding from me…?'

Impmon made his way toward where he'd heard Juri's voice, watching as she waved to her group of friends before making her way down the sidewalk leading to her house by herself. "J-Juri?"

The girl looked around at the sound of his voice, a smile coming upon her face when she spotted him. "Impmon, hello!"

"J-Juri, I….. I uh…… I'm on my way to get your present for you……. It's just going to take a little while, and… It may be…. A bit different than what you're expecting…."

Juri shook her head, placing her hand on the top of his head and rubbing gently. "A present is a present, Impmon… I'll appreciate it no matter what."

A small blush came to his cheeks as he noticed himself leaning into her touch, pulling away abruptly. "R-Right, right……. S-so… please wait for it…. I'll have it here at least by tonight, I hope…"

She smiled. "Alright, and no matter what it is, Impmon…" She leaned close, kissing his cheek. "Thank you." With that, she got up and walked home, leaving Impmon stunned and red-faced.

Well, it was decided.

He had promised, so now, he had to do this.

He plopped down on the sidewalk, his hand absently resting upon his cheek. 'I just hope that I don't disappoint her…. If Leomon doesn't have his memories…. It'll break her heart…' He heard soft footsteps behind him, not even bothering to turn around to see who it was. "You're persistent today."

"Well, it isn't every day that one of my friends looks positively miserable every five minutes," Renamon's voice came. "As much as I hate to pry, your overall demeanor today is…. Troubling me."

"So? Stop letting it trouble you." He got to his feet and began walking down the sidewalk.

"You think it's that easy to turn off compassion?" She was following him.

His eyes narrowed. "It should be, if it's becoming bothersome."

"Interesting. I didn't know that it was a bothersome endeavor to have someone care about you."

He growled, his steady gait gradually becoming quicker. If he couldn't tell Juri about the risks involved in getting scanned, he definitely couldn't tell Renamon. The problem was that he'd have to lose her… Which would prove to be a task easier said than done. Taking a quick glance back, Impmon switched up his footing and dashed up into the trees.

Renamon grimaced; her usual temperament would tell her to back off, but her gut was telling her that she needed to follow him… He was up to something, and she was getting a bad feeling deep down within her core. However, this situation was going in a foolish direction; Impmon knew that Renamon was much faster than he was, and losing her would be no easy feat. Her body weight shifted, and she swiftly took to the trees after Impmon, who was now a purple blur.

He timed his leaps, dashes, and lunges perfectly, keeping track of how much distance there was between himself and the cave containing the rift to the Digital World. 'Damn it all,' he thought bitterly. 'Why'd I have to make friends with the Digimon with a bleeding heart?'

'Damn it all,' she thought with a frown. 'Why'd I have to make friends with the Digimon with the temperament of a 5 year old?' While this exercise was greatly appreciated, she was still curious as to where this chase was going to end, or why it had started in the first place. All she'd wanted to know was why he looked as though the world were going to end, and now, she was engaged in a wild Impmon chase.

Impmon took a running leap over the fence of the park, breaking into a mad dash as he landed upon the sidewalk. Trying to lose her in the trees had been a mistake; he'd forgotten her uncanny agility and speed, and how it thoroughly trumped his own. He saw the staircase leading to the cave, the ethereal light of the rift shining hauntingly from within. However, he just barely got one foot on the bottom stair when Renamon alighted before him, thoroughly blocking his way. He glared up at her powerful form with a sneer; he hadn't wanted it to come to this. "Out of the way, fox face. I got business to take care of."

"Not until you tell me why you're acting so strange," she said sternly, her hands resting on her hips as she stood defiantly before him. "I'm only asking as a friend, Impmon. I'm concerned about you."

"If you don't get out of the way, you're going to have to be concerned about yourself."

Ice blue eyes narrowed. "Are you threatening me?"

His hands balled into fists; threatening Renamon was the last thing on his mind. With a sigh, his hands fell limp at his sides and he glared down at the ground. "I don't want to fight you."

"Neither do I," she said in a soft tone. "But Impmon… I want to know why you're behaving like this… It wouldn't have to be a hostile situation if your demeanor wasn't giving me reason to worry."

"…… Even if I tell you, Renamon… No matter what you think or say… I still need to do this… I still need to go into the Digital World."

She nodded before she thought of a reason not to. "Very well," she said slowly.

"I……. When I was talking with Juri a while back… I asked her why she was so nice to me, even after what I did…. She said she forgave me because she wanted to be my friend, and after hearing that, I wanted more than anything to become her friend too. But there's been one memory holding me back, and keeping me from being comfortable around her…" He placed a hand upon his chest, looking up at Renamon with saddened eyes. "The fact that her best friend, who I killed and uploaded, is still inside of me… And Renamon… I want more than anything to help give her back what I've taken from her… I'm going to get Leomon's data removed from my own, and send him back to her."

Renamon was silent, almost for a full five minutes. "Impmon… You don't mean that you're going to get yourself killed….? That's the only way for data to--"

"No, it's not," he interjected sharply, brushing past her as he walked up toward the cave. He shot a glance back at her. "There's something called a Scanner beam hidden in the Digital World. All I have to do is find it and stand within it for a while, allow it to scan me down until I'm weak enough for the data to be extracted, and then tell the thing where I want the data sent."

She turned to him. "You say that as though it's going to be an easy endeavor. It sounds awfully risky to me, Impmon."

His jaw tightened. "That's not the only hitch. There's a chance that, if this is successful, Leomon's memories won't be what they used to be. Something about being reborn with no recollection of the memories from the past life…. But I'll risk it. I was told this was a possibility, but a possibility doesn't mean that it's 100 true. Even if there's a 1 chance he'll retain his memories, I'll go through with this."

"If that is the case… I'm coming with you."

He quirked an eyebrow. "Why? I'm sending Leomon back here, to the park, more specifically. Why don't you just wait for him there?"

"Simply put," she said coyly as she walked up to him, "This sounds dangerous to whoever undergoes it. I could hardly call myself a friend if I didn't go with you for emotional support…. Besides, if it weakens you, you'll probably need help getting back."

Impmon stood before her, a small smile slowly creeping upon his face. "Thanks, fox face… Thanks for understanding how important this is…"

"You needn't thank me," she said kindly. "This is a very brave thing you are doing, Impmon. You at least deserve one witness; this will only be further testimony to how much you have matured."

As they climbed the remaining steps side by side, Impmon couldn't help but wear a confident smile. True, this was going to be somewhat dangerous, and he wasn't clear on what the outcome would be, but…. Something about knowing who he was doing this for and having tolerable company for emotional support put him at ease….

For the first time in the past few days, he didn't feel like it was him against the world.


	6. A Brave Folly

"Home sweet home." Renamon said pensively, her eyes calmly scanning the terrain of the Digital World as they emerged. Living in the Human World for so long had almost made her forget the comfort of her true home… She missed the ethereal sights, colors, scents, and relatively familiar ways of life here, and while the Human World had its own share of mystery and amenities, she felt that nothing would take the place of her own world. Above them, the vast, fathomless sky swam with rich violets and indigos, announcing the approach of yet another astonishing sunset. Her eyes wandered, coming to rest upon Impmon. He seemed deep in thought, his eyes determined and dead set upon the horizon.

Truth be told, she wasn't used to this side of him… This calm, quiet, serious side sharply contrasted the rambunctious, snarky behavior which he exhibited long ago… His guilt truly had changed him. It had been hard for her, for everyone, to accept that, at one time, he'd been their enemy and had almost succeeded in their undoing… But it had been Juri's selfless interjection which had saved them all, especially him. She remembered his words as he'd left after his fight with Gallantmon… 'I am nothing now,' she thought silently to herself.

If there was anything that signaled his turning point, his realization of his gravest mistake, it had been those words. He'd given up; he didn't want that life anymore, nor did he wish for any memories of who he'd become…

What he'd become…

In all of her years of knowing Impmon, she had never figured he'd go as far as he did. But, perhaps, that was her fault for not understanding the severity of his grudge against humans and the digimon who paired up with them. She did him no good constantly chastising him, and allowing him to be beaten to within an inch of his life by Indramon hadn't taught him the lesson she'd intended.

For all she knew, his descent into darkness had been inevitable, only for it to give him an opportunity to rethink his actions and opinions and redeem himself in the eyes of his peers… Redeem himself in his own eyes…

And here he stood, the living embodiment of retribution and redemption. Though he didn't see it himself just yet, Renamon realized the growth in his personality and was proud of him for it.

"Well, where is this Scanner you were talking about?" Renamon said finally, noting that Impmon had somewhat jumped at the sound of her voice. Her eyes softened; this decision seemed to be plaguing him more intensely than she previously thought.

"O-Oh, right…" He glanced in all directions, feeling a short burst of adrenaline as he noticed a glowing swarm of Digignomes in the distance. "F-Follow me…"

He didn't want to be scared.

He tried to psyche himself out of it, but nothing worked.

He was downright terrified, and with each step bringing him closer to the Digignomes, the onset of an almost paralyzing fear began taking hold of his every nerve. It was when the Digignomes noticed him and approached him that the fear finally took hold, causing him to practically collapse to his knees. Even as the Digignomes swirled around him and chattered nervously, even as Renamon rushed up to him to check on him, he found himself lost in a sea of troubling questions and depressing thoughts. What if he couldn't handle the scan? What if Leomon was far too imbedded in his own data to be extracted? What if Leomon lost all of his memories of Juri? What if he let Juri down again? He wanted to say he couldn't do it, that he was too afraid… But catering to his own fear wouldn't make him feel any better, nor would it make Juri happy… Right now, whatever fraction of courage he had left was going to bring a loved one back from death, and deliver him back to his partner…

"Impmon?" Renamon pressed; she'd been addressing him for a few moments before he suddenly got to his feet. She eyed him concernedly; he was grappling so hard with this, it seemed to be having an adverse effect on his very resolve. "Impmon," she said softly. "You don't have to do this… It seems so hard on you to even comprehend what you have to do, not to mention what it will do to you physically…"

"Even so," he said, not looking back at her. "Regardless of how scared I am… I want to do this for her. This one last thing, this one unselfish act for her sake."

Renamon stiffened. "You think she'd be happy to know that you were risking your life for this? Impmon, you don't have to prove yourself to her by doing something like this…"

"I'm not trying to prove anything," he said sharply, turning to face her. "I'm doing this because I want to give back what I stole from her." He placed a hand upon his chest. "That day, Renamon… I took someone from her, someone she loved. I know what it feels like to be loved, and I can't imagine having someone take Ai and Mako, or any of you guys, away from me."

Renamon was somewhat at a loss for words… While she couldn't full-heartedly agree with his decision, the passion behind his stance was to be admired. "Very well," she sighed.

Impmon gave her a slight smile before turning his attention to the Digignomes, who were gathered in a hovering cluster not far from where he and Renamon stood. "I need to find the Scanner. Can you take us there?" Not wasting a second, the Digignomes quickly sped off in the direction of the forest as Impmon and Renamon took off after them. Before long, an earthy scent enveloped them as they made their way through the brush and foliage of the forest, dashing across sun-speckled patches of grass and darting through the artistically contorted limbs of several large, ancient trees. Impmon kept his eyes open for any sign of the Scanner yet, true to Azulongmon's words, the Scanner was definitely hidden deep within the forest; they couldn't even see the stark reddish-brown dirt of the landscape anymore. It was dark here, the air thick with the scent of fresh green leaves and dew-kissed grass, and already the evening fog was settling in and comfortably blanketing the earth. Finally, the pack of Digignomes indicated to a thicket concealed with vines and moss, yet an ethereal glow seemed to permeate through the cool night air. Chattering as they encircled Impmon, the Digignomes almost seemed to be wishing him luck as he slowly pulled back the vines and stepped within. Renamon followed cautiously, keeping her eyes ahead.

The thicket was actually a cover-up for what was really down here; it became a small, vine-entwined walkway, winding downward to a small, bright clearing. In the center of the clearing was a piercing blue beam of light which seemed to be emanating from the ground. Particles of light swirled around it like lazy fireflies in the misty, damp air. Impmon approached it slowly… The ground surrounding the beam had been crudely clawed, and particles of clothing, scraps of fur, and feathers lay lightly strewn about, perhaps remnants of the throes of agony of other Scanner patrons. He shivered, casting Renamon a terrified glance. The golden fox could offer no real encouragement, as she was quite terrified herself. The sheer power of the beam filled the air with electricity, and was almost overwhelming to a point where her head began throbbing. "Don't worry," she said softly. "I'm right here, Impmon."

The small Digimon gulped, staring at the beam as though it were a glowing embodiment of his destiny. It was time to take that last step; he was so close to fulfilling his desire, and this was all he had to do to attain his goal. He drew in a deep breath and, urged on by an intense burst of adrenaline, stepped into the beam. Instantly, the blue light engulfed him, and he clenched his eyes shut to prepare himself for the worst. "Please state the name of the data to be removed," a soothing voice boomed from all around him, startling him at first.

This was it, the moment of truth.

Drawing in a cleansing breath, Impmon spoke. "Leomon."

"Understood. Initiating scan for subject 'Leomon' now." The sensation was calm at first, almost soothing. It was warm, and caused his skin to tingle as the Scanner's beam permeated his entire being… "Initial scan complete. Subject Leomon found. Requesting location of where subject Leomon is to be sent. "

Another breath. "The Human World, to Shinjuku Central Park."

"Understood. Subject Leomon to be sent to Human World, Shinjuku Central Park. Initiating data removal."

But then he felt it…

His eyes shot open, his mouth open in a silent gasp as a pain deeper than anything he'd ever felt struck him like lightning. The light engulfing him seemed to be seeping into and boring into him, ravaging layers upon layers of the data which made up his very being. A burning sensation electrified his nerves, conjuring levels of agony which he'd only chanced to imagine and causing his entire body to seize up.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't speak.

All he could do was feel this ethereal torture being inflicted upon his very essence. He collapsed to his knees, balling his hands into fists and resting his head on the ground. He harshly clawed the ground, desperate to alleviate the feeling yet having this prove to be in vain. He could feel this stinging sensation in every fiber of his being, peeling away at his layers of data as one peels the rind off of an orange. His groans of discomfort were muffled by the dirt; he felt like he was dying.

Renamon could barely stand to watch; it was her duty as a friend to make sure he was alright, but there was only so much she could handle. Already, she could see Impmon's body phasing in and out of view, the sign that he was weak and possibly close to deletion. While it was tearing her up inside to watch her friend suffer, she poised herself to be ready to spring forth and pull him away at any given moment.

His vision was becoming blurry, and it was getting hard to hold himself up. He was weakening rapidly, and the rush was making his head swim with nausea. Numerous times, he told himself not to faint, to stay strong, keeping images of Juri's smiling face in his mind for inspiration… Suddenly, he felt that something was wrong….

The beam pulsed, changing from a calm blue to a sharp, vibrant red. It pulsed again, and it suddenly felt as though his very skeleton was being yanked from his body. The impact caused his pupils to dilate and roll back into his head, letting out a strangled cry. He felt a huge collection of data suddenly explode from his body and into the beam, and strangely… He heard a sinister laugh as well…

As quick as lightning, Renamon dashed forth and tackled Impmon's limp form out of the Scanner beam, rolling to a safe distance away from it and holding him close. "Impmon?! Impmon, can you hear me?!" Her eyes widened; he seemed to be in shock. His body was limp and cold, visibly shaking and lightly convulsing. His eyes were glazed over, and his pupils were dilated and rolled back into his head. This was serious; she had to get him out of here and get him immediate medical attention. "Don't worry, Impmon, we're getting out of here." Scooping his limp form up into her arms, Renamon sprinted like the wind up the vine-laden walkway and burst into the forest in a mad dash. The Digignomes caught up to her, and not a moment too soon. "I need to get back to the Real World. Which data stream will take me there?"

Even though the world was a blur before his tired, dizzy eyes, Impmon wanted nothing more than to tell Renamon what he'd felt… Something had gone wrong, terribly wrong… And even in his weakness, he knew that whatever had gone wrong, whatever he had just released was now in the Human World… It wasn't just Leomon being sent to the Human World. It was something else…

Renamon had left in such a rush, she hadn't heard the Scanner's voice signaling the problem… "Warning… Warning… Two unspecified files downloaded… Two unspecified files downloaded… Sent to Shinjuku Central Park, along with File Leomon… Warning…"


	7. Arrival

A large form shifted amongst the bushes of the park, letting out a low groan of discomfort. His entire body felt as heavy as lead, and tingled with each labored movement… He squinted his eyes, wincing at the intensity of the light cast from a nearby lamppost. In all, his vision was blurry, as though he were using his eyes for the first time. To the best of his ability, he surveyed his surroundings.

Large clusters of accommodating trees….

A dusty, winding walkway which seemed to stretch on forever…

He blinked, utterly confused… What was this place…? Why did it feel so familiar to him…? In truth, his very memory was indistinct; he could barely even remember his own name, let alone what this place was. He had to get some answers, but didn't know where to start.

All he had to go off of at this point was a few vague images in his mind, all of which were blurry, inconsistent, and jumbled: a little girl, a demon with three burning red eyes, smiling children… It made no sense.

Placing his palms on the ground, he attempted to lift himself up, but something caught his ear…

A groan, followed by shuffling noises…

Not far from where he was, either.

Instinctively, he ducked down as low as possible, concealing himself behind the tightly knit clumps of bushes and scooting closer to where he heard the noises coming from. He felt a knot in his gut about this; whoever he was looking upon was giving him a terrible feeling inside…

Peeking through a leafless patch, he could distinctly make out two forms, one small, the other around the size of a bear. The large one shifted and got to its feet first, roughly rousing the other as it began to speak.

"Wake up," the large one said in a low, deep voice. "It worked. We're free." His eyes glinted like tiny red embers in the night, a large fanged grin spreading across its face. To his discontent, the smaller creature laying on the ground before him didn't respond. "Awaken, I say."

After a few moments, the small form stirred and let out a small groan, glancing up at his partner. "Who…… Who are you…….?" He inquired in a shaky, fearful voice.

The larger figure seemed taken aback, almost disgusted. "Your foolishness is overwhelming, Makuramon, even after all of this time. I am Chatsuramon, a Deva and your superior. How can you, a Deva, have lost your memories so easily?"

"Makuramon…?" The smaller one said contemplatively. "That… Is that my name…?"

The large one, referred to as Chatsuramon, sighed exasperatedly, taking a few paces away from the one referred to as Makuramon. "Losing yourself to someone like… Like him, of all people…" There was a mounting hatred in his voice; clearly, he harbored an intense grudge against someone from his past. "Wasting the power I gave him for the sake of little girl… No matter. We shall deal with him for his treachery, and then fulfill our lord Zhuqiaomon's wishes of eliminating the children who keep our traitorous kin as their pets. It is blasphemy, everything about it, and it is our job to eliminate them all."

At this point, the figure hiding in the bushes felt a flush of nervousness race through his body… Was he the one they were referring to? Why else did he have visions of this little girl in his head? He began to panic as Chatsuramon and Makuramon began walking toward his post. His eyes unconsciously traveled down to his waist, where a large broadsword lay sheathed securely. He glanced at the sword, and then at the advancing duo… If he was the one they were after…. His hand drifted toward the hilt…

"I… I do not understand…." Makuramon said meekly. "Who did I lose myself to…? And how did we 'get free' as you stated…? I… I remember nothing… Except eternally swimming through nothingness, feeling power being siphoned out of my body at random moments… It was terrible.."

"Which is precisely why we are going to make that traitor suffer. Being inside of his body showed me his thoughts, his visions, his affiliations… And for that reason, we are going to destroy everything that he holds dear, starting with finding that girl he had such an affinity for." He padded along slowly, begrudgingly so, to accommodate Makuramon's wistful gait brought on by his utter confusion. "As for how we got free… We'd been absorbed by him long ago, forced into his data make up to make him stronger… Regardless, I exerted any possible effort I could to avoid being broken down for his purposes."

The hiding figure blinked. He too remembered being lost within an endless ocean of nothing, only to have his power siphoned out of him at random moments… He had no distinction of where he was, nor did he even have any inclination as to whether he still had a body at that point… He listened further.

"I bided my time, waiting for any chance I had to escape that blasphemous prison… And as if to answer my prayer, the fool went to have some data removed… Something named Leomon. Whatever it was that removed us was supposed to remove only him, but he was growing so weak, it gave me an opening. Though, for the life of me, I'm not even sure what amount of pity possessed me to bring you with me." The one named Makuramon looked offended, and then stared down at the ground. "Without your memories, you may end up being more of a hindrance."

'Leomon….' The figure thought to himself, his eyes widening. 'Is that…. My name…?' He mentally clawed through his mind, frantically searching for any memory of being called that name… He had an image of a little girl, silently saying something… She seemed to be mouthing something; three syllables, and was holding onto something that looked to be his arm… And then it struck him; while still vague, memories flooded back into his mind as though someone had demolished his mental dam. 'I… I'm Leomon… That's my name…' With this tidbit of information, he felt more at ease; he'd been freed from the same prison these other two creatures, and the one called Chatsuramon seemed to be harboring hatred for someone else. But that still didn't answer the question of who the red eyed demon in his mind was, nor did it tell him who the little girl was either. Chatsuramon and Makuramon were passing his post, but he figured listening to them talk more would give him more answers. After all, it was Chatsuramon who seemed to have the most memories of the past.

"I assure you, I-I won't be a hindrance!" Makuramon said in his defense, though he didn't know why he felt so strongly about pleasing the larger creature. Perhaps it was the raw power which emanated off of him; if he didn't want to anger him and get hurt, he'd be better suited to please him. "Just tell me what you wish for me to do."

Chatsuramon paused, regarding him for a few moments before grinning slightly. "Very well. You shall prove your worth to me in due time, my small friend. While we were embedded within the traitor's body, his memories became mine, and they were centered around his relationship with a little girl. We need to find her; she is the key to luring him out."

In all honesty, Leomon didn't like the feeling he was getting from the other two, especially Chatsuramon. While he was dying to know everything about his past, the idea of revealing himself to the two of them seemed dangerous and foolish… Plus, they way Chatsuramon kept going on about whoever this traitor was, he was fairly sure he didn't want to get involved and would rather take his chances finding out his past with whatever information he could get from eavesdropping. However, the fact still remained that Chatsuramon kept referencing a girl….

He growled to himself; who was the girl in his mind?

What's more, was she the same girl this Chatsuramon kept going on about using as a lure to draw out the traitor?

He didn't fully know the answer to either of these questions, but the fact still stood that he didn't like the idea of these two powerful creatures being tempted to draw someone into the middle of whatever squabble they were caught up in.

Perhaps it was a gut instinct that told him to follow them…

Impmon was just barely gaining consciousness when they passed into the Human World. Everything was blurry and muted; he'd lost more strength than he thought….

Strength….

His eyes shot open, and with a yelp of protest, he yanked himself out of Renamon's grip and collapsed onto the ground. The golden fox looked back at him confusedly as he struggled to get to his feet. "What's gotten into you? I've got to get you to--"

"Something went wrong, Renamon." His voice was dreadfully weak, saturated with fatigue and pain. Even on his hands and knees, his arms shook and gave short spasms every few seconds. He looked ready to faint at any moment, but he looked up at Renamon with determined eyes. "Something… Something…." He fell forward, only to have the fox catch him gently.

"Stop trying to talk, you're lucky to be alive."

"N-No… Renamon, listen to me… Something else came out, something besides Leomon…"

She looked at him confusedly. "What… What do you mean..?"

He sat up, away from her comforting hold as he weakly got to his feet. "The Scanner… It was removing Leomon… But something else forced its way out along with Leomon's data…"

"So what you're saying is…… You think you possibly sent the make up of another Digimon here…?"

He only nodded. "An extremely powerful one……"

"Well how many Digimon have you--" She paused as a shamed look came upon Impmon's face, deciding to word her question more carefully. "Who do you think was sent…?"

"I don't know… All I know is, I'm a lot weaker now than I ever have been, Renamon… This is serious; Leomon's gonna have to wait until we find out what it is I brought back…" He swore inwardly; as if it wasn't bad enough that Leomon probably didn't have his memories of Juri, now Impmon would have to make her wait even longer only to be disappointed, all because his body released a powerful Digimon he'd uploaded long ago.

"Well, the most we can do is split up and search the park," Renamon suggested contemplatively. "You had them sent here not long ago… It's possible that they may still be here. Meet up at the front gate when you're done searching." Concentrating hard, Impmon allowed his body to become bathed in a warm glow, and in mere moments, digivolved into Beelzebumon. Renamon's eyes wandered upon him; it had been so long since she'd seen him in this form, but power didn't pour off of him like it used to.

Beelzebumon eyed her with a slight smirk. "What's the matter, fox face? You like what you see?"

Renamon rolled her eyes. "Just get going." He caught her arm before she had a chance to leap away, looking back at him confusedly.

"Renamon…. Thanks… For coming with me. You really saved my butt back there; I woulda bit the dust if it weren't for you." His eyes were calm and sincere, and Renamon felt a warm blush rising in her cheeks despite how she tried to fight it. Unable to resist, she gave him a small smile and dashed off. Beelzebumon watched her fondly; even after all of this time, Renamon was just as good of a friend as he remembered her being. His eyes scanned the park carefully, searching for any movement, any sign of digital life… A powerful flap of his ebony wings propelled him into the night, while a sensation in his gut was telling him that, even if he found the other data he'd sent here, it would mean trouble.


	8. Cat and Mouse

He would pay for this….

He'd pay dearly…

Chatsuramon seemed to chant these words in his head countless times as he scanned his memory for the visions and thoughts Beelzebumon's mind had shared with his. Truthfully, he'd had high hopes for the small, insignificant little Digimon he'd first rallied for the glorious cause of his lord Zhuqiaomon. He saw the hatred in his heart, the longing for power outside of human influence, and his desire to make something of himself without constant assistance. Zhuqiaomon's orders to eliminate the children who called themselves Tamers had given him a new sense of purpose, and sharing that with Impmon, he knew that Impmon would be the perfect soldier for the dirty work of destroying them and the Digimon they'd "tamed."

He narrowed his eyes at the term…

Tamed….

It meant so many things on so many levels, all of which caused an unconscious retch of disgust from the pit of his gut. Digimon were proud creatures, creatures of purpose, of strength and intelligence, far more than the humans who sought to harness that power for their own selfish reasons. It was by chance that Impmon shared these same views, and molding him into the powerful, destructive Beelzebumon had been Chatsuramon's gift to him…

And yet, that gift had been thrust back into his face…

He didn't know when he first realized he'd been absorbed by this Digimon that he himself had created, whom he had personally given more power than any human god… While the thought of his own loss against those pathetic children wounded his pride, the idea of being infused into his own soldier, who could care less for Chatsuramon's will to follow Zhuqiaomon's wishes, was sickening… Beelzebumon had substituted his orders for his own desires; he didn't care about making all humans suffer, he only wished to prove himself to the humans he knew.

Not only had Beelzebumon failed to destroy the children… He allowed himself to be seduced into weakness by the tears of one of the children he was supposed to kill… The girl… Even in the swirls of chaos and stupor involved in merging with Beelzebumon's data, Chatsuramon could make out his soldier's fight with Gallantmon… His perfect, flawless soldier had lost shamefully to a Digimon made from the merging of a human and a foolish Digimon named Guilmon… And the worst part was, he was spared by a human's words… A human's tears…

How dishonorable it was to be alive only because of a human's will, rather than the strength stolen from one's superiors… Instead of being allowed to die with what little honor that could be mustered from his last battle, Chatsuramon was instead forced to live on in Beelzebumon's body, only to have his strength relied upon for the sake of protecting the Tamers….

And the girl….

He growled; he remembered sensing Beelzebumon's distress during the encounter with the D-Reaper, all caused by his feelings for that girl. He hated her for stealing his soldier away from him…. He hated his soldier for betraying such a worthy cause, all for her sake… He hated his soldier for becoming yet another weak human pet…

Yes…

It was for those reasons he was driven by pure, unadulterated hatred toward both the girl and his soldier… And he was going to exact his vengeance on both.

Makuramon eyed his superior warily as they traipsed along the meandering path almost aimlessly. "I-If I may, sir," he squeaked, "Where are we going?" His arms shot up and shielded his face as Chatsuramon gave him a vicious glare.

The glare melted into more of a look of indignation, and the large Deva snorted and tilted his nose skyward. "We aren't going anywhere. We are looking for someone."

"Who?"

In a split second, Chatsuramon threw a paw around Makuramon and forced him to the ground. The dog Deva practically flattened himself to the ground as well, shuffling back into a shady patch beneath an old tree. Chatsuramon's beady red eyes glared upward as a winged figure dashed across the moonlit sky… He recognized that scent; warm leather, lightly rusted metal… A growl rose in his chest, his sudden anger distracting him from Makuramon, who was flailing and practically suffocating under the pressure of his paw. Chatsuramon slowly let the monkey Deva catch his breath. "That was him," he whispered. "Here is your chance to prove your usefulness to me." Makuramon only gulped and nodded; the determined look in Chatsuramon's glowing eyes took away any courage he had to do otherwise.

From his post not far away, Leomon kept his hand firmly on the hilt of his broadsword. These two strange figures seemed to be setting their plan into motion according to the snippets of their conversation that he'd heard… He frowned; he honestly didn't like where this was leading, but the two figures seemed to be the only links to his past that were conveniently present. Glancing over the bush again, he caught sight of the two of them dashing off into the night, and yet again, he had no choice but to follow.

Beelzebumon's eyes faltered a bit, and a small grunt of exhaustion forced its way through his clenched fangs as he alighted upon a lamppost. True, it was easier to survey the park this way, but his physical status was disturbing him.

He let out a sigh; he now knew what Azulongmon had been talking about when he said that he'd suffer a tremendous blow to his physical strength. What was worse was that now, there was a powerful Digimon running loose in the park, and it was al his fault.

Tired as he was, Beelzebumon's keen eyes scanned the vast expanse of the park, and he frowned as not so much as a rustle in the leaves occurred. 'Damn,' he thought to himself, 'I lost more strength than I thought…' He was quite fatigued, but he figured it was mainly due to him getting scanned not too long ago. His muscles ached all over, as though multiple lacerations plagued each layer of his digital make up. His wings ached, though he'd only been flying for around 10 minutes. He felt sluggish, tired, and sore all over, still terribly fatigued. He looked down at his own hands which gave short spasms every few moments. His physical exertion seemed to have tripled in difficulty, and the sweat his body had worked up now caused his leather clothing to cling uncomfortably to him. 'I'm so weak……. What could I have released that brought this on…"

A chilling wind blew past his face, carrying with it a few stray leaves and….

A voice….

Emerald eyes narrowed, warily looking around… He'd heard a voice, a soft one, which seemed to have come from all around him… And then he saw it; two little red glints in the forested area below, followed by an aura of power that practically knocked him for a loop. He grimaced, feeling deep down in his gut that he'd soon discover what it was he'd released upon this world. A strong flap of his wings propelled him off of the lamppost, and he landed heavily upon the earth below, his wary green eyes scanning his surroundings…

He heard the voice again… It was more of a laugh this time, and it echoed throughout the darkness in a way that made his skin crawl…

The bushes rustled behind him, and before he could turn around, something sharp sheared his shoulder. He let out a startled yelp, clutching his shoulder and collapsing to his knees as something large bounded over him, landing perfectly in the small clearing he sat in…

Beelzebumon felt his body seize up as his eyes met with two glowing red ones only inches from his face. The creature's breath was hot, and he could feel himself being practically suffocated by the aura which radiated off of him. "Long time no see, my faithful soldier," the creature said in a condescending tone.

"Chatsuramon…….. I….. How did you….." Beelzebumon could only stutter; of all the Digimon he could have accidentally sent to the Human World….

Chatsuramon took a few paces around the startled Beelzebumon, who opted to not keep his back to the powerful Deva. "Is that any way to greet your old master? Besides, I only wished to thank you for allowing for my release."

The demon Digimon felt a pang of dread deep down… This was not good at all; Chatsuramon was just as powerful as ever, while he himself was possibly at his weakest. "I would say you're welcome, but releasing a guy whose dream is to pick on little kids leaves a sour taste in my mouth," he spat bitterly. It only took a split second for Chatsuramon's claws to swat him again, and the impact came upon him so powerfully it knocked him flat on his back. He wanted to get up, but Chatsuramon's paw rested heavily upon his chest and held him down. Beelzebumon, tired and fatigued as he was, gave an indignant glare up at his former master.

"I'd be a little bit more humble if I were you," Chatsuramon growled dangerously. "Being a part of your Digital make up may have aided you, but it has aided me as well." He smiled at the mixed emotions of terror and confusion on Beelzebumon's face. "You see… When you absorbed me, you put to use a small portion of my power. The rest, I used to keep myself from being fully absorbed. Regardless, I was still a part of your body, and at first I lamented this fact until……. The name of the girl was made apparent to me, thanks to the thoughts and memories which were made available to me while floating around inside of your body."

Beelzebumon's eyes widened….. "What…?"

"What is her name? Oh yes….. Juri Katou, correct? So many thoughts about her floating around inside of your mind. I'd almost think you loved her… Which downright disgusts me." His last words poured from his mouth like acid. "Which is why Makuramon is hunting her down as we speak."

He could feel Beelzebumon's heart pounding away beneath his paw, and the terrified look on his face was positively priceless. 'I….. Makuramon too….? Juri…..' A new look of defiance came across Beelzebumon's face, and with a growl, he rolled away from Chatsuramon's hold and dashed off. He had a few choice words for Chatsuramon for bringing Juri into this… But he'd have his chance to spew them later when he somehow ensured her safety.

His stomach turned, and he suddenly felt sick.

He didn't know if it was his own physical fatigue, the idea of Juri's safety laying in the balance, or a combination of both… But either way, he had to find her.

Chatsuramon only smiled, glancing back toward a tree branch not far from where he sat. "He's off." The branch itself was almost entirely concealed by leaves and other branches, which had proved to be the perfect hiding place as Makuramon leapt down from it and made his way up to his superior.

"What now, sir?"

"We follow."

Leomon watched from afar as the two figures began to stalk after the other fleeing figure, and something in his gut told him that something about this situation wasn't right…. Deciding to go with his instincts, he kept his eyes on the fleeing figure and set out on an alternate route. Hopefully, he'd be able to run into him first and alert him that the other two figures were following.

Questions about his own past would have to wait.

As vague and cloudy as his memories were, something about the winged fellow's reaction to that name…. What was it……..?

Juri…..

Juri Katou……

Leomon's eyes flickered as the name sped through his mind…. It sounded so familiar, so comforting…… And ironically, that was the girl these figures were after… She was the center to this confusing web of details….

Renamon was just nearing the entrance to the park, her brow furrowed in frustration. In the section of the park she'd searched, she'd found absolutely nothing, except for a strolling pair of young lovers and a few stray cats. She alighted gracefully upon the wall, casting a glance over her shoulder.

Something wasn't right.

Her ice blue eyes narrowed; there was something in the air that was making her head hurt, as well as making her uneasy. She stared into the night for a few moments before Beelzebumon dashed past her. Strangely enough, it almost took her by surprise and, forgetting her initial shock, she dashed after him.

"Did you find anything?" She asked… But then she read the expression on his face. Coupled with his preexisting fatigue was now a look of anxiousness; he looked as though he'd seen a ghost.

"You gotta get Ruki and the others, fox face. Now." An extra powerful flap of his wings gave him a burst of speed; he was far too panicked to remember how tired he was.

"You're not helping if you don't tell me what we're up against. Is the Digimon you released hostile? Did you find anything at all?"

"Chatsuramon and Makuramon. And Makuramon is going after Juri as we speak." He let out an audible growl that made even Renamon flinch. He sounded as though he were on the verge of a complete mental collapse and didn't look any better.

Renamon remained silent as she dashed at breakneck speed along with her worried friend, deciding to keep her inquiry of Leomon's whereabouts to herself. It would be nice to see him again; that was the whole reason why this whole situation came up in the first place. However, with Makuramon allegedly hunting down Juri, they couldn't afford time for warm reunions, not just yet.

For a fleeting moment, Beelzebumon's palpable anxiety escaped her as she began considering what was truly unfolding here… It dredged up memories of Beelzebumon attempting to kill them all not long ago, and how it was apparent that he'd been employed by Makuramon and Chatsuramon for that sake. Up until now, Impmon preferred to remain silent on the subject, as though trying to mentally sever ties to his own shameful past…

And now, here they were, facing the demons of the past he'd tried to lock away...

And those very demons were bearing down upon the one Beelzebumon had yet to make complete amends to.

She frowned to herself.

Perhaps this is what they called retribution.


	9. Temporary Solace

Juri stared out into the night, her sleepy eyes focusing on nothing in particular. Impmon had told her to wait for her gift, and she'd been doing so for the past couple of hours. She glanced at her clock; it was nearing midnight, and still no sign of him.

She sighed, wondering if she'd guilt-tripped him into troubling himself to find her a gift.

At the same time, however, she was curious as to what the little Digimon had planned for her. He seemed dead set on getting her something, and from the way he told her to wait for him, he probably had already gotten a hold of it and wanted to deliver it in person. The thought brought a smile to her face; Impmon truly was a sweet little Digimon deep down, and he seemed so happy about the idea of getting her a gift, she had no choice but to accept.

Her eyes traveled down to a small object nestled comfortably near her pillow...

Leomon's Digivice…

With a heavy heart, she reached for it and held it close to her heart, closing her eyes and sighing slightly. She had been sleeping next to the Digivice ever since the D-Reaper incident; she supposed it was more or less a security item than anything else… She had known all along that her friend was gone, and that she'd never see him again, but…. Something about constantly having a remnant of him near her made her feel that his death was not entirely absolute.

As long as she had a part of him, something to remember him by, he'd never be truly gone…

But that was when she noticed something… Her Digivice's screen normally gave her nothing but static… But as she looked upon it closely, she noticed the static was fading… The screen was now glowing white, just as it had when…

A soft rapping on her window snapped her out of her reverie, and her eyes turned their attention toward the window.

Her eyes widened, and she felt her blood run cold…

Of all people, she was least prepared to see…. Him….

Wings as dark as the night sky flapped gracefully, and every ounce of metal clasped upon his lithe form glinted in the moonlight. His emerald green eyes seemed to burn through the glass in the window and into her very core, paralyzing her with unintentional fear.

She couldn't look away… She'd sworn to herself for the past few months that she was over losing Leomon, which was only a half-truth; she still held onto his Digivice and wished that he was still alive… But she never said anything or denied anything about the trauma that seeing Beelzebumon had instilled within her.

And now here he was, at her window.

He mouthed something, and his eyes burned with a strange intensity… Juri didn't want to be frightened; her brain said to move, but her body didn't budge… Somehow, she willed her way forward, toward the entity who for the longest time was the harbinger of misery, death, and evil… Trembling fingers unlatched her window, and he slowly ducked through the window frame and stepped into her room.

Their eyes locked.

Beelzebumon remembered that look, and shamefully looked away. She'd given him that same look when…

"Is she there? Is she safe?" Renamon's voice came from below, and the awkward silence between Beelzebumon and Juri was broken as the demon Digimon glanced out at her.

"She's right here," he said in a relieved, yet distant, tone. Juri quirked her eyebrow; what was going on? He glanced back at her, and then leapt down to meet Renamon. "Any sign of Makuramon anywhere?"

Renamon's eyes narrowed. "I didn't see him at all, which almost convinces me to believe that this may have been a set up to have us lead Chatsuramon and Makuramon to this place. If I'm correct…. Juri is not safe here." She eyed him; a darkened look came across his face.

"She's frightened of me, just as she was before."

"That should not matter, especially not right now, Beelzebumon. Our priority now is getting her somewhere safe, as well as calling in back up. If it comes down to a fight, I'm at a disadvantage without Ruki here." Her ear twitched, and she glanced over her shoulder warily. "And get her out of here quickly. I will meet up with you as soon as I can."

"…. Right…" He watched as Renamon dashed off into the night, turning his gaze up to Juri who was staring out of her window confusedly. With a sigh, he alighted upon her window sill and outstretched his hand to her. "Juri… I have to get you out of here. It's not safe."

Juri took a step back from him, her eyes darting back to Leomon's Digivice. "What's going on…?"

"Please…. I want to keep you safe… Please come with me…"

Her eyes traveled from Leomon's Digivice to Beelzebumon's massive hand, armed with gleaming metal claws… She shuddered visibly, recalling how ruthlessly they'd cleaved through Leomon… Another vision clouded her mind, of when she refused to take his hand and Beelzebumon was almost fatally wounded thanks to her stubbornness. Swallowing her fear, Juri's eyes met with Beelzebumon's again, and with a deep breath, she took his hand.

Leomon was panting hard, and his legs felt like iron weights were attached to them. He doubled over and was practically wheezing, easing cleansing air into his otherwise burning lungs. He didn't know how long he'd been running for, and at one point, almost lost sight of the fleeing winged figure. The most he could contemplate during his trek was the familiarity of the figure he was following…. But it wasn't a warm, soothing feeling his blurry vision of the girl saying his name conjured up… It was something completely different.

He felt a slight fear, almost animosity, toward the figure with wings. Looking upon him filled Leomon's mind with terrible thoughts, with terrible visions and sounds… One of those sounds was one of a girl screaming, and a vision of the winged figure laughing as it stared down at him with burning red eyes….

A plaguing thought came into his mind: was that winged creature going to harm the girl he seemed to be searching for? He growled; he couldn't let that happen, even though he didn't know why he felt like this. New adrenaline rushed through his body as he looked up to see the winged figure taking flight not too far from where he huddled…. And there was someone in his arms….

A girl…..

He squinted to get a better look…. She looked so familiar to him…. Then again, so did the winged figure… An unconscious shiver ran down his spine; what was it about the winged figure which was making him feel so uncomfortable? What's more, why did he have the urge to get the girl away from him….?

Was the winged figure as dangerous as the other two figures who were tracking him as well? Where was the girl being taken, and why did he care so much about her safety?

Nothing was making sense anymore, as further exploration only led to further, more perplexing questions. Once again, he found his feet urging his tired body on for the sake of answers…. And protecting a girl he felt he knew.

Beelzebumon soared high through the night sky, heading toward the city. It would have been a beautiful, relaxing flight if it weren't for the fact that Chatsuramon and Makuramon were running loose in the area…

And Leomon, possibly lacking his memories of the past, was wandering aimlessly around…

And the fact that this flight was made awkward by the piercing blockade of silence he and Juri put between each other….

He glanced down at her as he clutched her firmly and protectively in his arms. His eyes softened, and he let out a barely audible sigh. She never turned to look up at him through their entire flight, not even once. They didn't exchange any words. She didn't even make as much as a sound. Beautiful, maddening silence was all they shared.

Juri honestly couldn't bring herself to look at him. She knew that sweet, kind Impmon was within him, but truthfully, she couldn't look past the intimidating façade of this demon biker who'd ruined her life. She felt terrible; she'd been so nice to him the past couple of days, and right when he thought he'd earned her true kindness and appeared to her in this form, her kindness became masked by a veil of disdain, fear, and disgust.

To her, Impmon was Impmon. Beelzebumon, on the other hand, would always be a brutal murderer, a savage bloodthirsty demon, and a deceptive rogue with no redeeming qualities. She hated herself for thinking this. But she had to be true to herself; she could handle Impmon…. But she wanted nothing to do with the image of the Digimon who destroyed the one she loved.

Contemplating these feelings, Juri felt that her words to Impmon when they left her birthday party were nothing more than scraps of paper; two dimensional and holding no weight. Was she trying to force herself to like him back then? Was she that tired of seeing him blaming himself that she wanted to put on a brave, deceitful face and offer him temporary solace?

She noticed something.

They were losing altitude.

Out of the corner of her eye, she mustered up the courage to glance up at him. Sweat beads clung to his face; he looked positively exhausted. The muscles in his wings strained to keep him aloft, but he found himself landing on the ground.

"What's going on?" Juri found her voice, but it didn't come out in a kind tone; it was harsh, demanding, and suspicious all at once. She hadn't meant it that way, especially when she saw the fatigue on Beelzebumon's face before her very eyes.

He was silent for a moment, looking up at her sheepishly and then averting his gaze. "I……"

She knelt down before him. She wanted to know why they were out here… Why he looked so tired…. So afraid…

"I…. I wanted to get you something special for your birthday, Juri…. I really did…. And I tried….. But something went wrong, and because of me you're in danger…" His claws dug through the dirt harshly as his hands balled into fists. "Damn it... Why is it that when I try to do something good, it just blows up in my face?"

"Imp-- Beelzebumon…. What are you talking about…?" She wanted to be afraid… Wanted to be suspicious, and let him writhe on his own guilt for a bit…. But something in his voice…. She was growing more concerned by the second…

"…… I wanted to give Leomon back to you, Juri…….."

Silence.

Deathly, numbing silence.

Juri stared at him endlessly; the name Leomon almost sounded foreign to her, especially when hearing it from Beelzebumon… But it didn't make any sense. Leomon was dead, she knew that. He was reduced to data, and loaded into Beelzebumon's own body to make him stronger; she'd seen and understood that much. But was it really possible….? "What do you mean?" She asked slowly. Beelzebumon seemed to be bracing for some heavy news as a look of new anxiety darkened his face.

"I……. I went to the Digital World… And got him removed from my body… But something else came out with him…. Chatsuramon, and Makuramon, two of the Devas I took orders from then absorbed….. And now they're after us."

The words startled and confused her. "I…. I don't understand… Where is Leomon? And why are those other two Digimon after us?"

Beelzebumon sighed, preparing to deliver the heavy news. "I… I don't know where he is, Juri. As soon as I felt his data leaving my body, Chatsuramon and Makuramon made their way out as well. I ran into them in the park…." Juri noticed his hand go up to his injured shoulder. "Chatsuramon said something about sending Makuramon to where you were, so I panicked. Leomon is around here somewhere, but the only bad thing is that he may not have memories of you…" His heart gave a lurch at the look slowly enveloping Juri's face, and he looked away. "I messed up big time, I know that. But I swear, Juri, I'm gonna get you two back together, and I ain't gonna let Chatsuramon or Makuramon hurt you…. I may not be Leomon, Juri, but I… I care for you, a lot. That's why they're after you. And that's why I'm going to protect you to my last breath, and see that we find Leomon as soon as we deal with them, I swear."

Juri honestly didn't know what to say, and tears were welling in her eyes. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to be spiteful, but something was stopping her…. This urge she had inside overpowered her vengeful thoughts, and before she knew it, she'd thrown her arms around him and was now sobbing into him. Dual emotions of anger and appreciation waged war in the depths of her mind as tears of frustration and happiness poured down her face, soaking into the warm leather of his bomber jacket.

She wanted to hate him so badly… But she couldn't.

Not right now, after she'd learned that her Leomon was somewhere in the city waiting for her, memories or not. And to think that Beelzebumon had done this, just for her… All this trouble, just so that she could be reunited with her Leomon…

Warmth arose in Beelzebumon's cheeks, his long arms awkwardly embracing Juri. "J-Juri, I……"

A rustling in the bushes alerted him. He suddenly felt his blood go cold as he swiftly got to his feet, standing before Juri protectively. The girl looked up at him, and then at the bushes. "Beelzebumon…"

His emerald green eyes narrowed as he stared forth into the darkness, awaiting the figure's emergence. His hand slowly began making its way down toward his Barenjena.

He'd be ready for anything, no matter how ugly it got.

He swore he'd protect Juri until his last breath, and that's exactly what he was going to do.


	10. Confrontation

The figure emerged from the bushes, panting heavily. He was large, approximately 9 feet tall. A thick crown of tawny blonde hair framed his masculine face, and as his muscular form came into view, looks of shock crossed Juri and Beelzebumon's faces. "Leomon……?" Juri was the first to find her voice. She couldn't believe her eyes. The glorious golden lion she'd practically fallen in love with and lost was now standing before her, after all of this time… Tears welled in her eyes as she stepped forward. "Leomon….?"

Leomon watched the young girl coming toward him with a look of warm relief and…. Something else… The closer she got, the faster his heart beat in his chest. He was overcome with a sudden urge to embrace her, and in a split second he went down on one knee and brought her into his arms. 'This girl…. Is she the one that was mentioned before….?' He pulled back to look her in the eyes.

Those eyes of hers… He remembered them. So full of kindness and loving warmth, a warmth he remembered from long ago….

His eyes widened.

He remembered…

Without having to ask any more questions, he suddenly remembered her. All of these feelings and emotions running through his body were familiar to him, all caused because of the presence of this little girl. He knew her. And he knew that long ago, he'd loved and protected her until his death.

"Juri….?" He said slowly. A smile spread across her face as she erupted into joyous tears, throwing herself into his chest and hugging him as tight as she could. "I've missed you so much, Juri…"

Beelzebumon felt a pang of guilt intermixed with happiness at the sight. After all, it was his own cruelty which had torn them apart long ago. He'd brought them back together, but he still didn't feel complete. He looked around warily; Chatsuramon and Makuramon could be anywhere at this point, and the idea of the two Devas following them was making him uneasy. He didn't want to take the chance of Juri getting hurt if they did find him; this was something he'd handle on his own, at least until Renamon arrived with reinforcements.

He felt himself being kept at a distance, however, as he looked upon the newly reunited friends. It wasn't so much that he didn't want to interrupt. It was the fact that he'd be interacting with Leomon after all this time, after murdering him and loading his data…

But his insecurity was something he'd have to push past.

Beelzebumon slowly made his way over to Leomon and Juri, placing a hand on Juri's shoulder. "Juri, I--"

Leomon's gaze met Beelzebumon's, and a look of fury suddenly flashed in his eyes. In one fluid movement, Leomon released his hold on Juri, drew his broadsword, and tackled Beelzebumon to the ground, holding the sword's gleaming edge dangerously close to his neck. Beelzebumon had barely even had time to blink. "YOU!!" Leomon roared, and then turned to look back at Juri. "Juri, has he hurt you? If he has…" Leomon harshly grabbed Beelzebumon by the neck, hoisting him into the air and glaring up at him. The demon Digimon struggled to catch his breath, only to have Leomon tighten his grip.

Juri was positively shocked by this sudden display. "Leomon, don't hurt him, please!! He hasn't hurt me at all; he's been looking after me!"

At the words of his tamer, Leomon begrudgingly dropped Beelzebumon to the ground and sheathed his sword. "Is this true?" His eyes still harbored the same hatred from before, and it was clear that he was keeping his vengeful feelings at bay.

Beelzebumon rubbed his neck. "I've got Chatsuramon and Makuramon after me an' her, why wouldn't it be true?"

Leomon's eyes narrowed as Juri walked over to the two of them. "Chatsuramon and Makuramon, you say? Why are they after you?"

Beelzebumon looked away. "I… Absorbed them, along with you… And when I got your data released from my body, they forced their way out as well… They found out how much I cared for her, so they're targeting her."

Leomon seemed to be contemplating something, and a new look dawned on him. "I recall…. You using my Fist of the Beast King to… Try and save Juri, correct…?" Beelzebumon only nodded, and Leomon knelt down next to him, almost studying his expression. His eyes were full of strife, fatigue, and exhaustion, but also held within them the warmth of virtue which they lacked before. "You… Have changed, my friend… I apologize for my previous aggression."

Beelzebumon shook his head, getting to his feet with Leomon's help. "I don't blame you for acting the way you did. I wouldn't trust myself either…" He felt a bit more at ease now; Leomon's eyes still held some emotional distance, but seemed a lot more accepting now than they were a few minutes ago. "But now ain't the time for warm and fuzzies. You gotta get her somewhere safe--"

It was only split seconds after Juri's shriek of terror that something heavy struck both Beelzebumon and Leomon with the force of a tank, sending them both tumbling across the terrain. "Agreed, Beelzebumon," Chatsuramon's voice came from the large object that had attacked them; it was a giant mallet, and in moments it transmogrified back to Chatsuramon's regular form. Beelzebumon sat up slightly with a growl; Renamon had been right… He'd led Chatsuramon and Makuramon right to the ones he was straining to protect. The dog Deva gave them a fanged grin, Makuramon walking up behind him with a confused yet intrigued look on his face. "Now is more or less time for you and your little friends here to die. Starting with those two." His beady eyes traveled to Leomon and Juri, who had rushed to her partner's aid.

Beelzebumon got to his feet and stood before the two of them, glaring death at Chatsuramon as he swiftly drew his twin Barenjenas. "Lay one paw on them," he said slowly, "I dare you. See what happens." He was deathly serious; he'd gone through enough trouble trying to get Leomon back, and seeing Juri as happy as she was proved to be more than enough reason for him to keep him alive and well. They weren't losing Leomon again. He wouldn't let her lose Leomon again. As for Juri… He was tired of causing her grief, whether it was direct or indirect. It would end here.

Chatsuramon let out a hearty laugh as Makuramon looked on, thoroughly confused. "You're quite gutsy for someone with half the power he should possess…" His tone took a vicious turn. "Especially against a Deva who possesses double the power a Deva should possess." He shot out a paw, grabbing Makuramon viciously by the neck and hoisting him into the air.

Beelzebumon, Leomon, and Juri looked on in fear as the monkey Deva struggled and squirmed in his superior's grip. "M-My lord, what are you doing?! I'm here to help you!!" He squealed.

"Don't worry, my friend," Chatsuramon grinned. "You're helping more than you know. After all," he said as a sinister look came across his face, "this is the true reason why I brought you along with me." He cast a haughty glance at Beelzebumon. "If there's one thing I've learned from you, my soldier… It is that you take what you must, when you must." His claws began closing in, and the three shocked spectators could hear the monkey Deva's skull cracking like brittle wood amidst his screams of protest and pleas for mercy. It was over in an instant, Makuramon's death signaled by a sick, abrupt crack as he exploded into shimmering bits of data.

Beelzebumon felt himself growing sick; Chatsuramon was just as much of a monster as he'd been when he did the same to Makuramon long ago… That sound…. Now that he wasn't blinded by his own gluttony for power, he realized just how savage, how brutal such an action was, and it filled him with an empty feeling in the pit of his gut. He wanted to throw up. "You…. You're….." Beelzebumon couldn't even find the words to express how disgusted he was, and whether it was disgust with himself or Chatsuramon, he didn't know, nor could he differentiate. Leomon had long since shielded Juri's eyes from the sight, though he knew full well that she'd heard it, and was now trembling in his arms.

Chatsuramon drew in a deep breath as Makuramon's data flooded into his own body, and at once, the power pouring off of him practically doubled. The aura around him pulsed, flattening a few small trees in the vicinity.

This feeling… It was indescribable…

He set his eyes on Beelzebumon with a hearty laugh. "So, this is the feeling you gorged yourself upon, my friend… You have exquisite taste, though it is unfortunate that it will be your downfall!"

Leomon didn't even have time to blink before Chatsuramon struck him at full force, knocking Juri out of his arms. She struck the ground hard and tumbled, finally coming to a violent stop when she slammed into a chain link fence. "Leo… mon….." The wind was knocked out of her body, and the sudden impact sent a shock through her entire system, rendering her temporarily immobile. She wanted to scream out; however, as she noticed Chatsuramon making his way over to Leomon as he was slowly coming out of his daze…

Chatsuramon's paw rose high, preparing to deliver another unforgiving blow…

"HANDS OFF, YOU MUTT!!" Beelzebumon took a running dash and threw all of his weight against the dog Deva, knocking him away from the downed lion Digimon. "GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!!" He bellowed, struggling to hold Chatsuramon down as Leomon shakily got to his feet. A frenzied look was in the demon Digimon's eyes now; while neither of them was any match against the newly powered up Deva, he could at least buy Leomon some time to get away…

At least one of them could get away safely for the moment…

"How dare you!!" Chatsuramon roared, shifting his weight so that he was pinning Beelzebumon down. A murderous glare shone in his eyes, one that made Beelzebumon's blood run cold. "Just as well that you go first… I've been meaning to take back the power I gave you for quite some time!"

Beelzebumon could feel his muscles straining to hold the enormous Deva back as his fangs edged closer and closer upon him. He was suffocating; with Chatsuramon's weight on his chest it was getting hard to breathe, and without constant air in his lungs, he was growing weaker and light-headed… Plus, holding onto his jaws, though it seemed to be a good idea at the time, was steadily becoming difficult. His fangs were sharp, and were cutting into his hands and arms as he pressed harder upon him. He let out a growl of exertion, straining with all of his might to hold Chatsuramon back… 'Good… He's focused on me, just like he should be… The sooner they get out of here, the better,' he thought.

Leomon was visibly shaken, only brought back to focus as he spotted Juri who was struggling to get to her feet not too far away from him. A sudden anxiety came over him; he had to get her out of here, and fast. In his dazed state, he'd seen the burning animosity in Chatsuramon's eyes; he was going to kill them if they gave him a chance, no matter how slim or short it was. His adrenaline blotted out the numbness in his legs as he sprinted over and grabbed Juri, but it swiftly ran out as Beelzebumon let out a scream of pain behind him. "Beelzebumon!!" He shot a glance in the demon Digimon's direction, greeted by the horrid sight of Chatsuramon's fangs clamped viciously upon his arm. The dog Deva's claws swung ferociously in an attempt to lacerate any inch of flesh which they could reach, and Beelzebumon's free hand was just barely keeping the large Deva at bay.

Beelzebumon grunted and wanted to curse; why the hell were they still there? "Are you deaf?! Get the hell out of here!" Strife was apparent in his voice as Chatsuramon continued to press his weight upon the pinned Digimon. Leomon was now torn between his duties; his loyalty to Juri's safety versus his desire to lend Beelzebumon a much needed hand. But before he could say anything in protest, Beelzebumon reached a hand down and drew one of his Barenjenas…

And aimed it directly at Leomon.

Shock illuminated Leomon's eyes, and he took a step back… It wasn't only the threatening position of the gun; it was the intensity in Beelzebumon's eyes… He wanted them to leave; he wanted Leomon to get Juri out of there, and now. It was a terrible way to show concern, but he got his point across. "I won't say it again, Leomon," Beelzebumon growled ferociously. He cocked the gun, and the telltale click let Leomon know he meant business.

Leomon took a few more steps back, not taking his eyes off of Beelzebumon's as Chatsuramon's weight continued bearing down upon him. With a frustrated growl, Leomon dashed away, shuddering as another scream of pain ripped through the night air.

He had to find help, and fast.


	11. The Hunt

The city streets were always so quiet this time of night. Lonely, devoid of the daily hustle and bustle caused by countless people, on their way to countless activities. Street lights flickered lazily, as though sleepily keeping watch on the barren asphalt streets.

Only a waft of wind here or there sent stray sheets of paper about the empty streets.

Other than that, every other sound was blatantly magnified by the engulfing silence of night.

Even his breath.

He could hear him breathing, but not in a calm, relaxed manner.

It was predatory, like a beast closing in on its prey, with its adrenaline and savage nature taking a hold of its every move, it's every decision, its very essence.

It was making Beelzebumon claustrophobic.

What began as a confrontation between Chatsuramon and Makuramon had now turned into a deadly game of hide and seek, and the odds were not in his favor.

Blood dripped freely from his left arm, and his bomber jacket was beginning to soak it up and carry the scent with it; what was left of his jacket, at least. It hurt to move it, and his body felt as though it were shutting down from stress, pain, and exhaustion all at once.

He looked around.

The alley he'd ducked into smelled musty and damp, and hiding behind the overflowing dumpster would hide the scent of his blood for a while.

He cursed to himself.

The breathing was getting closer.

He could hear Chatsuramon's paws pounding upon the rooftops of the lower buildings, following him.

Tracking him.

Hunting him down.

He remained perfectly still; he couldn't hide forever, and the remnant of his past pride would not allow him to die hiding like a coward. He'd fought to protect Juri and Leomon, he would fight to protect himself if he had to.

He glanced down at his hip holster, wincing as he moved his arm and reached into it, drawing his Barenjenas once more. They were still hot to the touch from use; he'd unloaded a few rounds at Chatsuramon, and didn't stick around long enough to see if they'd had any effect on him.

He doubted it.

With Makuramon's data fused within his body, Chatsuramon had become more of a threat than he was before. Not an unstoppable threat, though. Just an extremely powerful one, more powerful than he was at this point.

Two rounds left.

He cursed to himself again.

It was then that the sound of Chatsuramon's drumming paws stopped, and from the sound of it, it was just above him.

He felt a cold sweat sweep his body mercilessly, and was almost positive that his pounding heartbeat would alert the Deva who was now out for his very blood. The alley he was hiding in was dark; whether it was dark enough to conceal him for much longer was the question that was plaguing him. Ever so slightly, he slowly maneuvered his head so that he was glancing up the enclosing walls of the alley.

He felt his blood go cold.

Chatsuramon's beady eyes were making slow, steady sweeps through the very alley he was hiding in. He held in his breath; any noise would be a dead give away, unless Chatsuramon had already caught the scent of his blood and was honing in on it.

It was at that moment that a jarring sensation came across him, and his eyes traveled up to Chatsuramon once more. Renamon had gone to get help, and if Guilmon was with them, they'd track his scent and find him in no time… But what if Chatsuramon found them first, without knowing that he'd deleted and uploaded Makuramon's data? He would attack them, and he'd kill them all in mere moments. He almost wished that he'd opted to take this on alone… After all, this was someone from his past who was as much of a monster as he was… In all honesty, he felt as though he were facing an incarnation of himself; a being amped up on power and lacking any shred of humanity, dignity, or compassion for beings other than himself.

He was going to erase that…

One of the many underlying factors of this recent crusade of his was to remove any connection to the past monster he was… And that meant standing up to the demon he'd created in his previous master. As injured and tired as he was, he had his priorities. He'd taken care of the first; ensure Juri and Leomon's safety… Now was the second, and possibly the riskiest part… He didn't know if it was his pride urging him to be so foolish, but something inside was telling him that he wouldn't receive any closure until he'd set this situation right. After all, he'd been the one who released Chatsuramon and Makuramon; it was only fitting that he deal with them and any trouble they created.

He supposed this was a mission forced upon him by his own past misdeeds.

He welcomed it.

He was going to end this now; if the others wanted to get involved, that was fine. That was what Renamon had set out to do in the first place; ensure that he didn't go it alone like a fool. However, the fact still remained that he had his sense of duty straight. He had to own up to this and take a prominent part in setting things right.

This desire for closure, however, almost paled in comparison to the new thought that came rushing into his mind… If he died, he'd leave Ai and Makoto alone again. He couldn't die here, against Chatsuramon. Despite his weakened state, despite being outmatched, there was no way he was going to leave them alone again. In all the days they'd been gone, they'd surely miss him, and explaining the subject of death to children as young as them would be difficult and devastating. After all, he promised that he'd meet them at the train station when they got back. Train number 9 is what they'd said, and that had been pushed to the back of his mind until now.

He wouldn't die here.

No way in hell would he die here.

They were going to win against this monster, send it to oblivion, and set everything right again. Juri would be safe with Leomon at her side finally, and he himself could return home and await the return of his tamers… He missed them so much, and overcoming this one obstacle would make their meeting so much sweeter.

A glare of defiance and confidence shone in his eyes.

In one fluid motion, Beelzebumon's arm shot straight into the air, aiming his Barenjena toward the sky. A clawed finger deftly squeezed the trigger, sending a gleaming silver bullet skyward, a trail of heated smoke tailing it as it vanished. The sound of the shot reverberated across the night sky, shattering the mind numbing silence as it heralded in another confrontation. "I'm down here, you damn mutt!" Beelzebumon's voice came out raspy, but the narrow walls of the alley amplified it. Chatsuramon's attention swiftly shifted down the dark, murky alley. His keen eyes caught the gleam of the Barenjena's barrel, and with a growl, he leapt down to commence his attacks on his ex-soldier.

Gleaming red eyes shone in the dark as they stared down the fatigued biker, regarding him with disdain. The dog Deva grinned, viewing the lackluster shape Beelzebumon was in. "I'm going to enjoy taking back the power I gave to you, traitor," he growled, advancing toward Beelzebumon as he got to his feet.

Beelzebumon narrowed his eyes. Thoughts of the end to this situation and his return to a normal life with his friends and tamers seemed to give him new strength. He could visualize the smiling faces of those he'd shunned, those he missed, and those he loved, all of which seemingly cheering him on.

He'd fight for them.

He'd win for them.

Growlmon had always had an impeccable sense of smell, and even as Takato rode upon the massive dinosaur's shoulders, he still considered it almost supernatural. True, Renamon had a terrific sense of smell as well, but with Guilmon, finding the source of any scent changed him from an almost childish pet into a savage, complex hunter. When Renamon and Ruki had come to their door that night explaining the situation, he was the first to track Chatsuramon's scent.

Just as always, his pupils had dilated to mere slits, his body rigid as though every fiber of his being was trying to concentrate on the scent.

And even so, after the initial sound of the gunshot, Growlmon almost immediately dashed off in its direction while everyone else was startled. He recognized that scent, remembered it from long ago. Hot, almost molten metal. Thick, bitter smelling gun smoke. Grease. He picked up his pace, and though he didn't truly understand the severity of the situation, he knew that Beelzebumon was in trouble. His first clue had been the desperation in Renamon's usually stoic voice, and the fact that they were rushing out here at 2 o' clock in the morning.

He didn't care.

He'd go to his rescue regardless of the time. After all, he'd turned over a new leaf not long ago, right? That meant he _had_ to be on their side.

"Jeez," Gargomon panted as he struggled to keep up with the sprinting dinosaur, "leave it to Beelzebumon to get into trouble at 2 o'clock in the morning." Jenrya was going to reprimand him for the tasteless comment, but a yawn caught him before he had the chance to speak. He had to admit, while he wasn't the closest to Beelzebumon, he was still as much of a part of their group as Renamon and Guilmon, just not as social.

"Stop complaining, Gargomon. He is our friend, and we will help him regardless of what time it is," Kyuubimon said sternly as she fell in stride with Guilmon, Ruki riding securely upon her powerful shoulders.

"Plus," Ruki added, "we're dealing with Chatsuramon and Makuramon here, two Devas from a while ago. You can't expect him to take them on by himself, especially since Renamon said he's really weak right now."

"Yeah I know, but still," Gargomon went on, but Jenrya gave him a look. He knew his partner was just being jovial, but the situation was far too dire and it was far too early to get into any needless spats.

Growlmon stopped suddenly, his burning ochre eyes scanning the still, silent streets. The tufts of white fur along his back seemed to stand on end, and everyone fell silent as they waited for him to either speak or make a move.

One of his ears twitched.

Kyuubimon and Gargomon felt something too… Heard something…

It began as a low, drumming noise, but as it came closer, it turned out to be a series of cacophonous explosions and crashes. Before they could move, the building they were standing in front of practically erupted, sending chunks of asphalt, concrete, and glass with it. Each Digimon only had a split second to react.

Kyuubimon ducked low, her powerful legs propelling her skyward to escape the debris. Growlmon dug his feet into the ground as he set his massive body in front of Takato as a shield, striking each chunk of concrete with his claws as Gargomon reduced them to fine powder with a hail of gunshots. Smoke and dust obscured the entire street, and without any insight as to what just happened, the Digimon and their tamers retreated to the building upon which Kyuubimon was taking refuge. "What the heck was that?!" Gargomon exclaimed as Jenrya dusted himself off.

Kyuubimon's piercing eyes scanned the smoke for signs of whatever caused the building's sudden destruction. She faltered. "Someone is down there… Do you see that figure?"

Ruki glanced at her, and then squinted her eyes to focus on the smoke. Sure enough, there was someone or something lying in the street where they'd been standing only moments ago. "I can't tell what it is…." She said warily.

Growlmon focused long and hard before letting out a short gasp. "Takato, its Beelzebumon! Beelzebumon is down there, Takato! We gotta go help him!"

"Great," Gargomon quipped as they all leapt down to the street, "not only is he out at 2 o'clock in the morning, but he's destroying public property too?"

"Quiet," Kyuubimon snapped as Ruki leapt off of her back. They approached warily as the smoke cleared, and sure enough, Beelzebumon was lying in a heap of cracked concrete, dirt, and glass shards. "Beelzebumon….?" She whispered softly.

"Come on, let's help him up," Takato said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his dusty shoulder. He let out a startled gasp as the demon Digimon suddenly flinched, clawing the dirt as he struggled to raise up his upper body.

"From the looks of him, I'd say moving would be a bad idea," Jenrya said. "But at least he's conscious." He walked forward and reached a hand out to him. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Jenrya couldn't help but feel a sudden quell of sympathy. Those emerald eyes of his held so much pain and fatigue… "Don't worry, Beelzebumon... We're here to help."

"I'm afraid you're all a bit too late to help in any way," a voice, rough and malignant, came from all around them. It was deep, almost reverberating, and echoed across the vast city scape. Standing upon a rooftop above them, Chatsuramon cast a vicious glare upon the gathered Digimon and their tamers. His lip curled; it was more disgusting to see this display of blasphemy in front of his own eyes than he previously thought. However, this disdain he held for it only stoked his growing fury and desire to completely obliterate all of them, every single one. He leapt down, causing the ground to shake as he landed heavily.

Kyuubimon felt that something was wrong. Even against 4 Digimon, Chatsuramon's eyes held no signs of hesitancy or fear. Glancing at her colleagues, she could tell she felt the same. Growlmon's entire body seemed to quiver, not from the influence of his savage growling, but from something he seldom displayed: fear. Pure, unadulterated fear. They could all feel Chatsuramon's power; it radiated off of him in a way that almost bent the air around them, causing their vision to be skewed and warped. Gargomon stood rigid before Jenrya but visibly quivered as well. Even Kyuubimon's fur stood on end, and her claws unconsciously dug into the ground to keep her focused on the task at hand, rather than the overwhelming power coming off of their adversary. "I thought you said Makuramon was with him," she whispered softly as Beelzebumon urged his worn body off of the ground.

"He was," Beelzebumon grunted, shoving his Barenjena into their holsters and cracking his knuckles.

"The key word seems to be 'was,' as in 'no longer is,' right?" Gargomon said shakily. "Why am I not feeling confident about this…?"

"What I mean by 'was' is… Chatsuramon learned a few of my traits while he was a part of me," Beelzebumon said slowly, as though guilt was beginning to weigh down on him. "He caught Makuramon and uploaded his data. So now… He's got the strength of two Devas."

Kyuubimon's eyes narrowed. "What of Leomon? Any sight of him yet?"

Everyone's eyes fell upon Beelzebumon at the mention of the name, and he only kept his gaze straight ahead at Chatsuramon. "Sent him away. I didn't want him here."

"Why not? He could have helped us," Gargomon said. "It's not like you're in any condition to fight--"

"Watch your mouth," Beelzebumon snapped icily. "I had a good reason. You want him dyin' out here against someone who I brought back to life on accident? I couldn't handle that. I couldn't handle seeing Juri cry again. Not anymore."

"That's quite touching, coming from a traitorous, power-hungry drone," Chatsuramon growled. "I wonder then… If she will weep for you after I have finished with you."

"You'll have to get through us first," Growlmon hissed, taking a step forward. Kyuubimon and Gargomon stepped up next to him. "You won't hurt Beelzebumon, Juri, or anyone else ever again when we're done with you!"

Chatsuramon grinned. "We will see." Another wave of power pulsed off of his being, and in the blink of an eye, each Digimon rushed headlong at him.

His eyes flashed as he looked upon his opponents.

They didn't know what they were up against, and would not realize it until he'd laid waste to them all.

The world was blurry, hazy, and muted as Juri opened her eyes. Her head hurt, and her lungs burned with each breath she took.

So much had happened tonight; perhaps her loss of consciousness was simply a result of it. Getting whisked away by Beelzebumon, seeing her Leomon again, and then running from…

Realization struck her, sending a freezing wave of shock across her skin.

"Beelzebumon!!"

Leomon nearly dropped her at this sudden outburst, and when his heart recovered from his initial shock, he stopped running and set the frenzied Juri down. "Juri, what is it?"

"Beelzebumon, where is he? We need to help him!"

Leomon gave her a look, and then sighed. He knew that Beelzebumon needed help, but right now, his priority was getting Juri to safety. He only shuddered at the thought of that monster Deva getting a hold of Juri after seeing what he could do to Beelzebumon.

Plus….

"Leomon, why are you just sitting there? We need to go back!" Juri exclaimed.

The lion Digimon fell silent again. He almost felt guilty for not being as passionate about Beelzebumon's safety as she was, because in all honesty, the grudge against Beelzebumon that he was trying to suppress was not lessening quickly enough. He only wanted to find help because he was bound by duty, not concern.

He sighed, glancing back in the direction they'd come from.

"Juri….."

The girl looked up at him quizzically.

"… I can't….. I'm sorry… I want to find help for him, but I can't risk you getting hurt."

"So you expect to let Beelzebumon take on that monster by himself? He'll die if we don't--"

"Juri," his voice came sternly. "Now listen to me. As your partner, my utmost priority is your protection… I haven't been able to do my job because I've been inside of him…" A tone of contempt eased its way into his last word. "And now… Now that I have the opportunity to make up for all the time I've been gone…"

Juri stared long and hard at him. "… Leomon, do you remember what you told me a long time ago…? About having a lion's heart?"

He looked at her. "Of course I do Juri, those were my parting words to you thanks to--"

"Can't you look past what he's done?!" She shrieked, taking him by surprise. There was a ferocity in her eyes right now, one of confidence which he'd never truly seen before. "Obviously, in the time you've been gone, you've forgotten what it means… I'm not smart, I'm not strong, but Leomon, I love my friends, and if there is one thing I can do right… I can forgive. That is my strength, Leomon, and I discovered it thanks to him." She began walking past him. "By learning to forgive him… I've learned to care for him, and I've learned that he cares for me as well. I'd be a coward to not return any concern for his well-being, when he's worked so hard to maintain mine." She looked back at him, tears welling in her eyes. "Please Leomon… Prove to me that you remember what it means to have a lion's heart…"

Leomon's eyes softened, and his level of shame only multiplied at the look in her eyes. He knew that she was right, and that it was a cowardly endeavor to simply ignore Beelzebumon's evolution from a monster to a protector. The thought struck him that, if they couldn't find help, Juri would blame herself for whatever happened to Beelzebumon, and even though he himself did not share her level of sentiment for the demon Digimon, his connection to her would be in jeopardy if he did nothing.

He sighed.

His Juri truly had grown, and truly understood the meaning of his last words to her.

With one swoop of his arm, he whisked Juri up onto his shoulder and broke into a sprint back in the direction of where they'd left Beelzebumon. "Don't worry, Juri," he whispered as she looked upon him in surprise. "I definitely remember."


	12. Reunion

The dust was thick, almost choking, and it swirled about endlessly even as the battle came to a stand off. Craters and cracks plagued the concrete like blemishes, as shattered glass shimmered under the pale glow of the early morning sun just barely rising in the distance. All about, walls were cracked and splintered, and chunks of concrete and asphalt lay scattered across the streets like confetti.

Through the dust, Chatsuramon's beady red eyes regarded his opponents. In truth, all of them were winded, injured, and tired…

But that was what angered him so.

He narrowed his eyes; they were stronger than they had been, even though he was twice as powerful as he was before. A growl echoed in his ribcage… Was it really true that his traitorous kin had become so powerful because of their human masters?

He visibly shuddered at the blasphemous term.

It wouldn't end like this; he would not accept defeat from those who had lost their pride as Digimon, and those who saw fit to tame them. His eyes traveled to the silhouette of Beelzebumon…

All of this… All of this was HIS fault.

After all, it had been Beelzebumon's job as his lackey to dispose of these children in the wake of their grand crusade to free Digimon from the bonds of human ownership and dependency… Defeat brought on yet again by his traitorous lackey…. It was a concept that left a nasty taste in his mouth, yet provoked his desire to show him merciless suffering beyond words…

He heard the sound of gravel shifting not too far from where he stood, and ducked away just as Rapidmon launched himself at him. With a growl, Chatsuramon clamped his jaws onto Rapidmon's left leg, throwing him with all of his might.

The battle began again; Chatsuramon had done nothing more than give away his position in the cloud of dust and smoke.

Rapidmon landed hard on his feet, stumbling back and crashing into a telephone booth. Spotting his partner's ungraceful descent, Jenrya rushed to his side. "Terriermon, Terriermon are you alright?" He asked concernedly.

Rapidmon only rubbed his head and pulled himself out of the remains of the booth, sending a small shower of glass to the ground with each movement. "Man," he groaned, "this is not the way I would have wanted to start off my Saturday."

Chatsuramon's ears perked up at Rapidmon's words, and it caught his attention just enough to receive a harsh swipe from Wargrowlmon. He tumbled hard across the ground, and as he got to his feet a bewildered feeling came over him, almost a sense of urgency of something yet to come soon…

The air became hot near his face, and he dodged out of the way just as two searing blades of raw energy blasted past his face. In the haze, he spotted Wargrowlmon's silhouette, his arm blades glowing bright red as hot steam poured off of them. Behind him, his keen ears detected the sound of footsteps rushing at his very position, leaping out of the way as Taomon gave a vicious swipe with her staff. He just barely missed her blow; it practically demolished the ground he'd been standing on. He hated to admit it, but he was practically wheezing with exhaustion, all at the hands of these… pets….

All of them stared down at him, as though voicelessly declaring him defeated.

He would not stand for it…

His eyes traveled across the lot of them, lined up like some low-class firing squad. He growled low. "You…. All of you will know more suffering than you can possibly put into words for this heresy against the Sovereign…" His gaze fell upon Beelzebumon, and his voice dropped two ominous octaves. "Especially you," he practically hissed. His ex-lackey was visibly weakened and fatigued, hunched over in exhaustion and discomfort…

He could end it now…

Beady red eyes narrowed, and with a roar, he charged in Beelzebumon's direction. As of now, he didn't care too much about drawing out this battle; he'd been shamed enough, so he may as well salvage what was left of his dignity, destroy the traitor, and make a hasty exit to the Digital world. He needed power, a lot more power than he thought he needed, to take on the rest of them, and this was probably as vulnerable as Beelzebumon was going to be. Being blinded by this ambition, however, rendered him open to an attack from the side.

The dog Deva let out a harsh yelp as a roaring fireball slammed into him, knocking him clear across the street and coming to rest in a smoldering heap. He was shaky, positively livid at the sudden barrage of pain which ravaged his entire essence… He glared in the direction of the attack, seeing a large lion Digimon emerging from the dust, smoke pouring from his enormous fist. "Just try and attack him again," Leomon's voice boomed viciously, standing beside Beelzebumon without making eye contact. Juri, who was riding atop his massive shoulders, also glowered in Chatsuramon's direction.

"Le… Leomon….?" Beelzebumon panted, looking upon him in disbelief. A sudden wave of fatigue rushed through his body, and with a grunt, the demon Digimon collapsed to his knees. Leomon looked down upon him as Juri leapt down from his protective hold, resting her hands on the tired Digimon's shoulders. Though their eyes had met, Beelzebumon looked away before muttering a quiet yet sincere "thanks." Leomon only nodded, turning his attention back to Chatsuramon.

The dog Deva regarded them all silently, taking an unconscious step back as their human counterparts came into view. Despite his boost in strength, against the five of them, he was begrudgingly outmatched…

Outmatched by a bunch of humans and their pets…

But something went off in his mind as his eyes scanned them all… Something was missing; Beelzebumon was the only one who…

It was only Beelzebumon who spotted Chatsuramon's grin, and as the dog Deva melted into a billowing wall of fog he'd created, he couldn't help but feel a sense of uneasiness. Tumbling, swirling wafts of fog soon dissipated, and the dog Deva was nowhere in sight.

"Did we beat him?" Takato questioned warily, looking around the entire area.

"Doubt it," Jenrya said slowly. "There was a Digital Field in that fog; he went back to the Digital World."

"Probably to lick his wounds," Taomon scoffed as Ruki approached her, wincing and supporting her weight on her staff. "And I suggest we pull out for now as well. All of us, including him, are injured, and any further aggression would only make things worse. We will rest, and if and when he shows his face again, we'll be back to top form." She glanced over at Leomon. "Though the greeting is a bit late… It is good to see you again, Leomon."

The others seemed to share in the sentiment, as Rapidmon, Wargrowlmon, Jenrya, Takato, and Ruki all rushed over to greet him. Beelzebumon backed away from the crowd, leaning his weight up against a tree and watching the reunion unfold. He smiled slightly; they were all so happy to see him, he could only imagine what it would be like to be regarded with such sentiment. Cheerful welcomes and warm embraces seemed to envelop the reunited group, and here he was, yet again, on the outside looking in.

At one point he looked away; it was not his place to share in the happiness, he was merely the tool which made it possible, and he was alright with that. At the same time, he wondered if his reunion with his own Tamers would be as warm as this one; he missed them a lot more now that he remembered they'd be returning Monday morning. With a grunt, he carefully began to limp away. He'd done his job, and now, at least for a while, he'd make himself scarce. He'd never really been one for these group get-togethers, especially with some of them still uneasy around him. After all, he'd been the one who killed Leomon in the first place, and Leomon had been a part of this group before he came along. However, he was only able to take one step before everything went black.

There was a groan and a loud thud, and everyone's eyes turned to Beelzebumon who was now face down on the ground. In a quick white flash, he de-Digivolved back to Impmon, hurt and unconscious. Ruki rushed over just as Juri scooped him up into her arms. "I wonder if he'll be alright…" Juri whispered, her eyes sweeping over the bruised purple form in her arms. She mentally winced; various cuts, bruises, and scrapes covered almost every inch of his body, and even in his state of unconsciousness, he groaned and shivered. Her eyes softened, and she gently hugged him close. "Impmon…"

The Tamers, as well as their de-Digivolved partners, made their way over as well. "I wonder why he'd want to try and walk off like that when he's this badly hurt," Takato said. "I'd say he needs more first aid than the rest of us."

"I dunno," Terriermon said, craning his neck to look at Impmon's unconscious form. "It's gonna take a lot of band-aids for those boo-boos."

"He should be alright," Leomon's voice came as he stepped forward. "He's very tired; he just needs some rest…"

"And band-aids," Terriermon quipped.

There was a pause of silence before Juri spoke up. "I'll take care of him." Everyone looked up at her. "I mean… I owe him… He brought my Leomon back to me… What kind of person would I be to not show gratitude for something that is so important to me?" She smiled up at Leomon, who only gave her a small grin in return. As the morning sun rose in the distance, the Tamers and their partners each left on their way home, exhausted from the long, arduous battle. "Leomon, I….."

The lion Digimon looked down at her. "Yes, Juri?"

A blush came upon her face. "I really missed you… I… I really thought that I'd never see you again, but now… Here you are…"

Leomon's eyes softened, and he turned his gaze forward again. "Even if I hadn't have been brought back, Juri… I'd always be with you regardless. Our destinies brought us together, so nothing could have kept us apart, not even physical death."

Juri fell quiet. "…. Are you still mad at him….?"

"What?"

"At Beelzebumon… Do you… Do you hate him…?"

Leomon sighed. "It's a waste of time to carry a grudge, Juri, especially after all of this time."

He wasn't going to answer her question. Not directly, at least. For this reason, Juri decided to drop the subject, and upon arriving home, she swiftly set up a small mat and blanket for Impmon. Leomon stood in a corner of the room and watched her, almost studied her.

She was so devoted to this little Digimon, the very Digimon who had caused the entire group, and almost the entire city, a great amount of hardship. He supposed that it truly was her strength to completely forgive, and he saw this in the almost tedious way she cleaned and dressed each wound on Impmon's body.

He saw her yawn, and with Impmon thoroughly bandaged, he decided to step in. "I think it is time for you to get some rest," he said softly, scooping her up and placing her in her bed. She almost immediately fell asleep once her head hit the pillow, but she whispered something in her sleep...

"Thank you…. Impmon…."

Leomon glanced over at Impmon's sleeping form, and then back to Juri's. The two of them had definitely built a connection while he was gone, and while he was a bit uneasy about it, he couldn't help but be proud at how his Juri had grown. Perhaps things were looking up for the three of them, then. He was back, and Impmon was a budding benefactor to their group… A smile came upon Leomon's face as he rested against the wall and closed his eyes. "Yes… Thank you, Impmon."

Miles and hours passed as Chatsuramon traipsed the vast Digital World terrain; he was on a mission, and an important one at that.

He needed to rest.

He needed to heal.

But most importantly, he needed to wait.

Waiting would probably be the hardest part, but it would pay off, and it would pay off big. After remembering what it was he was waiting for, he felt a bit better about his hasty retreat from the Real World. It would be the rekindling of his crusade against the Tamers and their pets; the milestone of his very existence, his very goals, his very way of life.

But he'd have to play it safe; wait, and lay low.

After all, with revenge, he wasn't going to waste his second chance at life in one battle when he could draw it out further than he initially planned. He was foolish to have tried to rush at the traitor with all of his friends surrounding him, and he was not going to make the same mistake twice.

He needed power.

It was because of this that he traveled the Digital terrain like a wolf, stalking any and all Digimon who happened across him. A slash here, a bite there, and the smaller, lower beings were reduced to shimmering specks of data which he gluttonously absorbed.

It almost felt sinful to revel in such a feeling; the new surge of data intermixing with the old, recharging his muscles and limbs, revitalizing his strength at the expense of another….

It was all incredibly delectable.

It was all for the best.

When he returned to the Real World, he would wait. And he would be ready to destroy them… To destroy all of them, starting with _him_.

Him.

The worthless little nothing he'd come across after his defeat by Indramon, pitying himself in some dank, disgusting corner of the sewer.

Yes. He'd be the one to pay first and foremost, and the cost would be dire.


	13. Until Tomorrow

Drowsy green eyes slowly budged open, taking in a hazy, blurred vision of his surroundings. His body was sore and seemed to react just as slowly as his mind did, as he sat up to get a better look at this place…

He wasn't home, that was for sure.

Toys weren't strewn about the floor. The air didn't smell like stale graham crackers ground into the rug, crayons, and coffee. There were no juice stains anywhere, nor were there any crayon markings on the wall. If anything, this room was neat, smelled clean….

He blinked… He was lying in what appeared to be a small, makeshift bed. Warm blankets were tucked across his front, and a comfortable pillow sat beneath him. An empty box of bandages sat upon a dresser not too far from him, and he could smell cleaning alcohol.

He moved to get to his feet, giving a sharp wince as a dull pain arose in his chest. "Where… What……." Impmon looked at himself; he was bandaged all over, and upon further investigation, he practically jumped out of his skin when he found that his bandanna was missing. But before he could look any further, the door behind him slowly creaked open, and a hot flush came to his cheeks as Juri entered the room.

"Impmon? What are you doing out of bed?" She asked kindly, setting down a tray on the top of her bed and squatting down next to him.

His marbly eyes looked scared and confused. "Where… Where am I? What's going on?" He flinched slightly as her hand came toward him, but relaxed and practically purred as she gently stroked between his ears.

Juri smiled; she liked seeing him smile like that. "I have to admit, I was really worried about you after the battle…" Her voice dropped a bit. "You've been asleep for ages."

He reluctantly pulled away from her hand. "What day is it? What time is it?"

"It's Sunday. Sunday evening to be exact."

He let out a sigh of relief, and then glanced around. "Good… I promised Ai and Mako that I'd meet them at the train station at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, that's when they get back. B-But…. What am I doing here?"

His face turned pink as she gave him a small giggle. "For someone who's been asleep for only a day, you're acting as though the world has completely passed you by." Her voice lowered. "After the fight, you just passed out… It was really late, so I brought you back here. You're more than welcome to stay until tomorrow, just make yourself at home." She picked up the tray she'd set on her bed, setting it down before him. "Here, I put your bandanna in the wash for you, and I made you some food if you're hungry."

Impmon swiftly grabbed the bandanna, looking at it as though it were a long lost friend. "Th-Thanks…." He blushed. "I feel kinda weird without it… Ai gave it to me, and I haven't taken it off ever since…"

"That's okay," she said softly. "I've got some errands to run with my parents, so make yourself at home. Leomon is around if you need him."

Impmon blinked. "Are they okay with me staying here?"

"Well," she said slowly. "I did tell them about Leomon a while ago, and they were surprised that I was a part of the Tamers as well… I introduced them to Leomon yesterday; you should have seen my Dad's face! But they like him, though; they found out that he's a lot nicer than he looks."

Impmon looked down. "I…. I'm not sure they'd like me too much… If they found out all times I hurt you an' him…"

"Do you want to know what I told them about you?"

He looked up at her shyly.

Juri smiled, getting to her feet. "I told them that you made a few mistakes, but you're one of the bravest, sweetest little Digimon I know."

His blush deepened and he averted his gaze, turning up his nose. "Didja have to add the 'little' part?"

"Of course I did," Juri teased. "Well, see you in a little while." With that, Juri trotted out of the room.

An unconscious smile came upon Impmon's face as he looked down at his clean bandanna, hugging it close to his body. 'She's so… sweet…' He glanced out the window; already the evening sun was beginning to set. He opened her window, climbing into a nearby tree branch. In the distance, a large cluster of gray and black clouds were coming in; it would probably produce a storm at the look of it, a big one at that.

He didn't mind though; he liked the smell of rain. Plus, he knew that Ai and Mako would want to go outside with their rubber boots to jump in puddles and watch the earthworms slithering across the wet sidewalk. He smiled at the thought; he truly did miss them more than he thought.

"Awake at last, I see."

Impmon felt a surge of panic rush through his body at the sound of a voice from below, nearly falling off of the branch. He caught himself with some difficulty, wincing as he put weight upon his sore arms and chest. He gulped, feeling himself frozen in place. "L-Leomon…"

The lion Digimon slowly approached the tree, looking up at Impmon solemnly. Their eyes locked for a few moments, and Impmon turned away as he began to feel uneasy. Leomon continued to almost study him, let out a sigh, and then took a seat at the base of the tree. They sat in awkward silence for a short while, as though each of them was working up the courage to begin even the slightest conversation. "You know," Leomon said slowly, drawing in a deep breath and letting out a heavy sigh. "It… I feel as though it is beneath me to carry grudges, but under the circumstances, there are just some feelings I can't let go of, Impmon."

Impmon felt a sharp mental jab; it would be the conversation to end all conversations, he could feel it. He felt as though he were going to be sick on the spot, suddenly feeling as though he should just thank Leomon for the hospitality and leave quickly. He'd unconsciously dreaded sitting down and talking with Leomon, the one he'd murdered long ago, and his shame brought about a strangling sensation of unshakable cowardice. After all, how would one go about apologizing to another for murdering them? "I…." He sighed, leaning his back against the tree and staring off at the storm. "Don't… Don't feel bad about it… I'd hate me too if I were you."

"… I don't hate you." Another long pause, another long sigh. "I'd like to understand you, Impmon. Juri holds you in high regards, and though I trust her judgment, I'd like to hear and understand you for myself."

"… Understand me?"

Leomon didn't look up at him. "I suppose I want to know… I want to know why you made the decisions you did… Why you attacked the children… Why you turned on your own friends…"

Impmon fell quiet for a small while as thunder rolled quietly in the distance. "I wanted power, not friendship at the time." His voice was low, laden with shame and sorrow, and just as he dreaded, Leomon's silence was an urge for him to continue. "At the time… All I could think about was how much I didn't need help from the kids or their Digimon, especially my Tamers… I was stupid. I didn't understand that they were still young, and that they didn't really understand what it meant to be a good Tamer. So I ran away from them, and I decided that I didn't need them anymore."

Leomon's eyes lowered. "I must admit… Even I don't fully understand humans yet… But that doesn't mean there is reason to give up on them…"

"I know that now… But at the time, all I cared about was getting strong without their help… So Chatsuramon found me, promised me power, but at a price….. I had to kill the Tamers and their Digimon for him….." His voice dropped. "I accepted."

"Why?"

Leomon's voice came harshly, causing Impmon to visibly wince. "… I…. I really don't know why I did… I suppose I was so blinded by my own frustration in myself that… I didn't care."

"But they hadn't done anything to hurt you, had they?"

"N-No--"

"So why, Impmon?" Leomon was standing now, glaring up at him.

Impmon felt trapped; forced to answer the question, but barred from running away. "I thought that… That if I got more power, I'd…" His hands came to his head. "I didn't want to hurt them… I really didn't… But the power he gave me… It did something to my head… I felt invincible, like no matter what I did, nothing would faze me at all… And for a while, it was like that. I wanted a way to prove to them and to myself that I wasn't some weak, worthless little nothing…"

Leomon almost looked disgusted, his jaw tightening as he clenched his fists. "So, attacking your friends helped you feel powerful and important?"

Impmon had scooted himself back against the tree as far as he could, clutching his arms together and shivering. Every answer he gave only made him feel worse, and Leomon's tone was stripping away what courage he had left. "For a while… But…. It was Juri who got me to stop."

Leomon's voice softened. "What?"

"I… I was fighting Dukemon, and he was going to kill me for what I did to you… But she told him to stop…" He held back a sob. "After what I did… She wanted to let me go, even though I deserved what Dukemon was going to do to me… Leomon, I never felt so empty inside in all of my life… What I did to you, and how she spared me… I didn't have a desire for anything anymore, except to disappear… And I almost did, if it weren't for Ruki and Renamon taking me back here…"

"… And what happened next?" His tone had softened somewhat.

"I found out that the D-Reaper had followed us to the Real World, and that Juri was being held inside of it…." His eyes narrowed. "When I heard that… I felt sick inside. I wondered to myself, 'Why is all of this happening to this girl?' I wanted to help… I needed to help her… It wasn't just because I felt guilty about what I did… I was just tired of seeing her hurt, so I felt something inside that wanted to protect her. All I could think about was saving her, even when I got hurt, she was the only thing on my mind… I was tired of being the bad guy."

The tension left Leomon's shoulders and fists as he stared up at Impmon with an expression devoid of his previous hostility. He looked away. "You… Really have changed, haven't you…?"

"She changed my outlook on humans, Leomon… Seeing her in trouble just woke something up inside me… I was angry and ashamed, but all I wanted was to see her safe again, even if I died…." He brought a hand up to his bandanna. "I passed out after I got hurt by the D-Reaper, and when I woke up, I was sitting in Ai's lap, being taken home… I found out just how much capacity humans have for caring for beings other than themselves; I found out that I could care for humans in the same way because of her…"

"… So, your own Tamers… Are you on better terms with them now?"

An unconscious smile came upon Impmon's face. "They've benefited me in more ways than I ever thought possible. They took me back, no questions asked… Then when I went to fight the D-Reaper, Mako gave me this tiny little toy gun to fight with… For the first time, I really understood how much they cared for me, even though they didn't understand how serious it was…"

"A… Toy gun?"

"Yeah, a little plastic one. And I dunno… It was weird. It gave me… Strength… More strength than Chatsuramon had given me, but it didn't mess with my head at all… It felt good, warm… I didn't know how to describe it, but I knew that it had something to do with Ai and Mako and how much they cared for me. Their love for me gave me the strength that I wanted all along, so now…." His voice lowered a bit. "Now… I want to return the feelings they've given me… Especially to Juri…"

Leomon quirked an eyebrow; Impmon truly had changed from the monster he once was. Gone was the snarky tone to his voice, the snide remarks, the bitter sarcasm and dry wit; his tone now was soft, genuine, and seemed to be saturated with the warmth of maturity and humility. Even as Impmon stared at the approaching storm, his eyes were calm and focused, and his very posture carried an air of mellowness. "I see… So she is the root of your change… You hold her in high regard, it seems." A blush came to Impmon's face, but before he could say anything, an icy wind ripped through the branches. Leomon felt the cold impact of a raindrop on his shoulder, glancing up at the smaller Digimon. "We should get inside; we don't need Juri fussing over two sick Digimon." The two of them hurriedly rushed into Juri's room as the winds began to pick up outside. Impmon practically dove beneath his blanket, wrapping himself up as tightly as he could as Leomon took his spot near Juri's bed. "Hopefully they'll be back soon."

"Yeah…." There was a disconnected sound to Impmon's voice, as though his mind were in a completely different place. Leomon glanced at him.

"Something the matter?"

Impmon's eyelids were drooping slightly as he fought back a yawn. "Just thinking… I really wish I would have seen the good qualities in the Tamers before… I wish I never would have accepted Chatsuramon's offer and hurt Juri so bad, and tried to forget about my own Tamers…"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Impmon. You've changed a lot, and I apologize for not seeing it before. I must admit, my main concern as I was… well… disappearing… was about Juri's safety, because at that time, she was in a fragile state of mind… But if there is one thing I've noticed about your connection to her, it is that you've helped make her stronger in my absence… And I believe I owe you some gratitude for that."

"You're….. Welcome……."

Leomon glanced over at him, smiling as he noticed the smaller Digimon nodding off to sleep. "You should get some sleep, you know. You're still weak from the battle."

"Can't sleep… Gotta meet… Ai and Mako…" He found himself being gently pushed back onto his pillow, and the unrelenting grip of sleep was coming upon him swiftly.

"That isn't until tomorrow, correct? You still have a few hours to go."

"Yeah…. I can't wait…" Impmon whispered dreamily, and in only moments, dozed off.

Leomon watched him for a while, feeling a slight sense of peace within. He turned his attention to the window, watching as the rain drummed against the glass. He never thought that he'd be back in the Real World, back with Juri and the others… But at the same time, he never thought that Impmon would undergo such a drastic evolution. Yet, here he was, tending to the Digimon who had once vowed to destroy the Tamers and their partners. He didn't feel bitter anymore, though… He almost felt relieved.

He never realized how much had been left unsaid between them up to this point. After all, Beelzebumon had only really entered his life when he attacked the Tamers in the Digital World, and even then, had left a very poor impression on everyone. Catching up on everything, however, filled in a lot of gaps and answered quite a few of his questions. His verbal probing had been harsh, but in all honesty, he didn't want to bear that grudge any longer; he didn't want to deny that something within Impmon had changed since he'd been gone.

The door near him creaked open slightly, and Leomon looked up as Juri stepped into the room silently. "Back so soon?" He asked sarcastically as he noted her soaked hair and clothing.

"We were on our way back when it started raining like this," she pouted, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around herself. "Hopefully it won't be like this when he goes to meet his Tamers tomorrow morning."

Leomon smirked. "I doubt it would faze him at all. He has certainly learned quite a few lessons, and he accredits you for it."

Juri glanced up at him. "What do you mean?"

"… To be honest, Juri… I still feel a bit distant from him, but while you were gone, I decided to break the tension between us with a little chat..." His voice lowered. "He told me about his past with his Tamers, his dealings with Chatsuramon, and even the encounter with the D-Reaper… But in spite of all that, he kept referencing you… He said you're the reason why he's come to love and appreciate humans, so to speak, and he thanks you whole-heartedly for it."

Juri blushed slightly, glancing over at Impmon's sleeping form. "Well… He's helped me out a lot too… I suppose you could say we've both helped each other. He's got a good heart; it just took him a while to figure it out."

Leomon studied her quietly. It truly did seem that she'd grown somewhat attached to the little Digimon, and it definitely showed in the way they spoke about each other. Whatever happened during the incident with the D-Reaper possibly connected them, and a small part of him felt that the two of them were destined for that connection. He rested his back against the wall, closing his eyes and allowing the rain to lull him into a state of silent tranquility.

Juri drew in a deep breath, changing into her warm pajamas and sitting atop her bed. From where she sat, she had a clear view of both of the sleeping Digimon, and the very sight encouraged a smile upon her face. She finally had her Leomon back, and Impmon finally felt comfortable around her. Even with the other night's battle fresh in her mind, she recalled Beelzebumon's constant focus on her safety and finally began feeling a sense of ease when thinking about him.

His voice, his image, his eyes….

Everything from the past seemed to have vanished, giving birth to the new vision of Beelzebumon that she had. No longer was he the monster who wanted to hurt her and her friends… He was a loner, but a good-hearted protector as well. His devotion to her brought a sense of calm upon her as she lay back. Though she was happy to have Leomon, she couldn't help but be envious of Impmon's Tamers; they truly did have a valiant partner. They were still young from what Impmon had told her about them, but she was sure that one day in the future, they would recognize what a powerful ally they had and…

Possibly appreciate him as much as she did.

From his perch he sat solemnly, ignoring the rain as it fell all around him. It was still very grey even though it was early morning, but it didn't faze him at all.

He was waiting.

Now that his wait was finally over, he felt a dramatic rush of adrenaline take hold of his entire body. His eyes squinted through the sheets of rain, glancing at a large digital clock not far from where he sat.

7: 20 it read.

Perfect.

He'd be early.

He dashed across the cold, wet rooftops in the direction of the train station. He knew what train they'd be on, what station they'd be arriving at, where the station was, what time they'd be there; all it took now was for him to actually get there….

Getting there undetected would be an interesting endeavor, but not impossible. He alighted upon a rooftop just near the entrance to the station. Ah, the urban life of this city, he wondered. So many people, on their way to so many places…

There were so many of them, he almost felt claustrophobic, and an unconscious growl arose in his throat. It didn't matter though.

He was here for a reason, and that very reason pressed him forward.

A dense fog billowed into the station, and the numerous passengers looked about in bewilderment. A few people gasped; visibility was abnormally low, except for the few whom saw a silhouette standing before the electronic train schedule. The fog only became thicker as the silhouette moved about; it was obviously searching for something.

After a few moments, the fog dissipated, leaving just as quickly as it had appeared.

Passengers looked around confusedly as the fog seemed to suck itself down one of the tunnels, and very few of them saw the shadow of a figure walking down the tracks.

A train attendant yawned as he entered the last car on the train, glancing at his watch. '7:35,' he thought to himself. 'We'll be arriving on time, possibly early.' He patrolled the car silently, as many of the passengers were asleep. He himself had been up for a few hours, and was looking forward to pulling into the station so that he could clock off from his shift and get some rest at home. As he came upon the last rows of seats, he saw two young children staring out the window. "Well now," he said cheerfully. "You two are probably the only people awake on this train." The adults sitting with them, possibly their parents, were asleep.

They didn't look back at him; they seemed to be focused on whatever was outside.

"Er," he said, leaning close. "What're you two looking at?"

The little boy looked back at the attendant, pointing a finger at the window. "Fog."

"Fog?" The attendant said questioningly, glancing out the window himself. Indeed, a thick cloud of fog was building fast around them, blurring the already grey and murky morning sky. "That's peculiar…" He heard the little boy gasp.

"What is it Mako, what'd you see?" The little girl said.

Mako turned to her with wide eyes. "I saw two little red lights, Ai, I think…" He stared hard out the window again, and Ai herself turned her attention to the window as well.

"Red lights?" The attendant said. "Hmm… It might have been an alert station, letting us know we're nearing the train station."

"They were moving." Mako said.

The attendant went speechless for a moment, thoroughly confused. He sighed; perhaps these two kids had been awake for so long or something. His eyes traveled down to their belongings, spotting a bulky electronic device. He smirked, picking up the device. "I think you've been playing video games for too long, maybe you're just seeing things."

The little girl looked startled, taking the device back and holding it close to her. "This is Impmon's, not a video game…" She nearly jumped out of her skin as it started giving off static, the screen going completely white.

"Right," the attendant said, turning to walk away from them. "Well, we'll be at the station soon. Turn off that video game for a bit and get some sleep, and I'm sure you'll stop seeing things." He didn't see the worried, almost frightened expressions the children had on their faces, but he himself was a bit bewildered. 'Little red moving lights… Then this fog…' This was becoming strange, so he swiftly made his way to the conductor's car and entered. "Sir, did you see an alert station a while back? With two red lights?"

"Alert station?" The conductor questioned. "You honestly think I can see anything with all of this damned fog?"

"It's just that… Two little kids in the last car said something about seeing two moving red lights. I figured it was an alert station, or that they had been playing their video game for too long."

"Heh, yeah I-- Wait…"

"What is it?"

"You said those kids said something about red lights right?"

"… Yeah…"

"Look, up there… Do you see them?"

Sure enough, two small, glinting red lights were visible through the dense fog. "If I didn't know any better, I'd almost say they were eyes or something," he said shakily… He'd intended on it being a joke, but as the words came out of his mouth, he felt the icy grip of unprecedented fear. Suddenly, the train gave a great lurch, throwing the attendant off balance. "What… What was that?!"

"I don't know…!!" The conductor braced himself and applied the brakes; something strange was going on here, and he didn't like where this was going at all… He heard the attendant gasp behind him, and as he looked up he noticed the two red lights coming toward them at an almost breakneck speed and….

A laugh.

A loud, ominous laugh which came from all around them…


	14. Rain

The rain was cold, merciless, and unrelenting, falling endlessly from the vast, bland grey skies above. Each drop was a silver blade of ice, a sliver of heartless liquefied malice from the heavy clouds which seemed to blot out all light, all thought, all reason.

Drop after drop pounded upon the world below, coming down in sheets which shrouded everything within a murky grey blur of wet, cold, emptiness.

No one walked the streets.

Lights were off.

Everyone was inside, shielding themselves from the liquid assault from the skies…

Everyone except for him….

The cold had for the most part numbed Impmon's entire body down as he stood upon his tree branch. Each rain drop sliced across his body like icy daggers, reminding every nerve in his body that he could still feel.

Physical sensations were now alien to him, pushed into the depths of his mind as memories of what took place took precedence.

Out here, in this hellish rain, the world was only cold and gray, cruel and lifeless, still and timeless. He didn't know how long he'd been standing out here on this branch; minutes, hours, days…. It didn't matter.

The memory was still there.

The memory of what happened that rainy Monday morning.

Soaked to the bone, his blank stare could only register the quiet, empty house which stood before him. The house he'd once called home was now barren, silenced forever, every memory of what had lain within cruelly carved out by Death itself.

There was nothing for him now.

Those black windows were now only voids leading into further loneliness, the doors opening only to maddening silence and darkness.

He remembered what had unfolded that morning… Ambulances coming and going, filling the air with their mournful, eternal wailing, signaling their tragedy to the rest of the world… So many gurneys, so many black bags, so many sheets stained red… Twisted metal wreckage lay upon the tracks, and the smell of smoke and burning flesh hung heavily in the air.

Everyone would remember what happened to that train on that morning.

Everyone.

News reports for the rest of that day, even up to this point, referred to it as the worst train accident in Shinjuku's history… They just couldn't stop bringing it up.

One hundred and seventeen passengers.

One hundred and seventeen victims.

One hundred and seventeen body bags.

One hundred and seventeen graves to be dug.

A vigil was being built in remembrance of all those who had died…. His eyes narrowed. A vigil. A goddamned vigil.

What good was a goddamned mountain of flowers going to do? Was that supposed to help ease the pain of knowing that his family was gone? As he sat here, in this nightmarish rain, was a single flower in remembrance of his family going to let them know how much he cared? Or bring them back?

He clenched a sopping fist.

He cared, of course he did…

That's why the tears wouldn't stop falling, not for one second.

That's why his heart felt as though it had fallen down to the pit of his stomach.

That's why he'd called for his Tamers hours after the scene had been closed off.

That's why….

That's why he was standing outside of the house he'd called home, wishing in vain for lights to go on and to hear another pointless argument between the two people who mattered to him more than life itself…. The two people who had given him strength, kindness, and love…

And now they were gone.

"Impmon." Renamon's voice came silently from behind him, muffled by the onset of heavier rainfall. His shoulders tensed; he didn't look back at her, just continued to stare forward as though he were waiting for something… "Please… We've been looking for you… You must come out of the rain." She hated to patronize him, especially at a time like this.

"Don't you get it?" His voice came low, in an icy tone. "I'm already where I want to be."

Her eyes narrowed and her heart ached; this was going to be difficult, and he was making sure of it. "You think they'd want you out here, standing in the rain?"

He turned swiftly and a look of saddened shock came over Renamon's face. His eyes were dull, and black rings signaling insomnia circled them. He'd been out here for days. "You got nerve to talk," he began acidly. "Ruki's safe and sound back at your home. She ain't burnt beyond recognition and stuffed into some box, put under the ground to be remembered only by a goddamned grave stone!!"

Renamon took a step back.

Impmon gave a small sob, leaning himself against the trunk of the tree and staring up at the storm above. A bitter laugh eased its way from him. "This world… These people… Now I see why it made me so damn sick--"

Renamon's paw came hard across his face, almost hard enough to knock him out of the tree branch. His hand came up to his throbbing cheek as he looked up at her. She only returned a piercing, infuriated glare. "That is enough." She said slowly.

Impmon stared at her endlessly as fresh tears spilled down his white cheeks. "R-Renamon… Why'd they… Why'd they have to…" He wrapped his arms around her, shoving his face into her thigh as a sob wracked his small frame. No more bitter words came from him; only tears.

Renamon felt a heavy twinge of guilt, kneeling down and embracing him tightly. She could feel his tears soaking into her front, shedding a small tear herself as she held him close. Though she was normally full of wise words, nothing in her expanse of intelligence could console him at this point. All she knew was that she had to get him somewhere out of this rain…

Away from this house…

She closed her eyes, holding him as close as she could. "Impmon… I am going to take you somewhere… Somewhere safe and warm, alright?" He only gave her a numb nod.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Juri stared out her window at the rain as Ruki rested against a wall behind her. Leomon himself stood vigilant, glancing up at Juri every so often. The Tamers had found out about what happened, and after Impmon disappeared, everyone had been on high alert. The reason was clear: Impmon needed to be found before he got himself hurt, or possibly hurt himself.

"Any sign yet?" Leomon whispered softly. His mane was soaking wet, heavily matted upon his shoulders and chest. He'd taken his turn searching for Impmon, and after a few hours of finding nothing, he'd come back to rest.

"No." Juri said numbly, not glancing back at him. Leomon and Ruki exchanged glances silently, and Ruki made her way over to where Juri stood. "It's so terrible… He must be so hurt and alone right now, and if we can't find him…."

"We'll find him, don't worry," Ruki said. "Renamon told me long ago that the two of them have a connection, one that she doesn't share with any of the others… She'll be able to find him; if he were to let himself be found by anyone, it'd be her." There was a light rapping on the window, and everyone looked up to see Renamon perched outside. "Speak of the devil," Ruki smirked, opening the window as the golden fox made her way into the room.

For the most part, Renamon was absolutely drenched. The white tufts of fur on her chest and back were matted upon her frame, and her usual silky fur was now waterlogged and clumping together. Even her ears hung limp, and her indigo gloves clung uncomfortably to her arms. She surveyed them all as they approached her, her eyes traveling down to the form of Impmon in her arms. Her eyes softened; he simply hung onto her, not looking at anything or anyone. "You can inform the others… I've found him."

As Ruki and Juri began calling up the others, Renamon took a seat on the floor with Impmon in her lap as Leomon made his way over, squatting down next to her and looking grave. "How is he?" Leomon spoke softly. Renamon only gave him a glance, and then turned her attention down to Impmon. "I figured as much," Leomon sighed.

Juri approached them as she tucked her cell phone away, casting a longing glance at Impmon. "Takato and the others have stopped searching, and they want to know if they should come by to see him."

"That's the last thing that should happen right now," Renamon said silently, rising to her feet. "He… He needs rest… He needs time to heal, and it is best done without the others clamoring over him. Do you have a spare room? I think that may be best for him for the moment."

Juri nodded, leading Renamon down a small corridor and into a tiny room, tucked away near the edge of the house. She truly wondered if Impmon needed to isolate himself further in his time of grief, but she supposed that Renamon would know him better than she did. She flicked a light on, swiftly going back to the hallway for a spare mat and blanket. "I hope he'll be alright back here…" Juri said offhandedly as Renamon gently tucked him in.

Renamon glanced back at her. "I shall watch over him, if you wish."

"Oh," Juri whispered softly. "Alright… I'll be back in to check on him later."

"Very well."

Juri watched the two of them for a few moments, wishing that there was something she could say or do for Impmon to relieve his grief, but she knew that, with a situation like this, it didn't work that way. She made her way out of the room, her eyes downcast. She let out a startled gasp, however, upon bumping into the massive form of Leomon. He almost took up the entire corridor, and as she looked up at him, she noticed his gaze was in the direction of the room Impmon was now resting in. "L-Leomon?"

The lion Digimon looked down at her, his face grave. Without saying a word, he placed a hand on her shoulder and then walked past her, entering the room. He was greeted by a backwards glance from Renamon, who kept her eyes on him as he made his way over to her. "Do you mind if… I take the first shift in watching him?"

Renamon eyed him, and then turned her gaze back to Impmon with a sigh as she slowly got to her feet. "I will be with Ruki if you need me." She didn't want to leave so abruptly; if anything, Impmon needed her company more than anything else. In her heart, she truly did feel that connection with Impmon, and due to its strength, her desire to remain at his side was virtually unbreakable by anyone, except…

Her eyes narrowed; there was something in Leomon's voice, in his eyes, when he requested to take the first watch…

Was it possible that the two of them had forged a connection as well? One that possibly rivaled her own?

As therapeutic as she felt her presence would be, there was definitely something in Leomon's demeanor which made her step down. She wasn't going to question it; her instincts were telling her to let this be, that it needed to happen. She got to the doorway, cast a longing glance back at Impmon, and with a sigh, vanished down the hall.

Leomon couldn't take his eyes off of Impmon, not for one moment… The smaller Digimon seemed almost completely oblivious to his presence; his emerald green eyes were blank voids, staring endlessly at the ceiling above, and possibly beyond, focusing on nothing in particular. Leomon felt a twinge of empathy deep down; something was mentally broken within Impmon right now, something far too complex to fix with kind words and warm blankets…

Losing his Tamers had mentally and physically ripped something away from him, leaving him in this almost vegetative state with nothing to dwell on except memories riddled with anguish. He'd never comprehend the severity of the wound Impmon had been dealt…

Impmon shifted slightly, rolling so that he was facing away from Leomon's protective stare. "I always used to hate rainy days."

Leomon was almost shocked to hear Impmon's voice. "Oh?"

Impmon was quiet for a few minutes. "Wet fur… It don't feel too great." More silence. "So a few weeks ago… When Ai an' Mako asked me to go out in the rain with them… I wasn't too enthusiastic about it…" He rolled over again, staring back up at the ceiling. "They begged and begged, and finally I said I'd go out with 'em…" He sat up slowly, staring down at his blanket and hugging it close. "We stepped in mud puddles, picked up worms, danced around, and the whole time, I was thinking it was stupid, but… I never had more fun in my life… Sure, we came in that night, soaked down to the bone, an' Mako got the sniffles, but all I could think about was how fun it was…." His eyes were beginning to well with tears, and his voice was beginning to shake. "I forgot how much I hated getting wet, all because we were having so much fun… And then when I tucked them in that night, they asked if we could do it again sometime, and I said 'Yeah, yeah we'll do it again' and I meant it…" Tears spilled in rivers down his face as he clutched his blanket. "I said… I said we'd do it again… But now…" He finally broke down, shoving his face into his hands as sobs wracked his small frame. "Now I can't keep that promise, because they're gone forever…"

Leomon shut his eyes and looked away, clenching his fists upon his thighs. He had to regain composure of himself; after hearing Impmon go on like that, it was almost more than he could bear. "They're not gone forever, Impmon."

Impmon looked over at him. "Wh-What?"

"… They are gone physically… But the passion in your voice just now in retelling that memory… Those very feelings and emotions will keep them with you forever."

"What… What do you mean?"

"It is not bodies which truly keep our loved ones alive, Impmon. Bodies are only temporary physical shells, containing our true essences. Depending on how we live, our essences can positively or negatively affect those around us, and that is how memories are created… We remember how people made us feel, whether they made us laugh or cry, so even after their bodies fade, we still have those memories, and we remember the essence which inhabited the physical body… For that reason, a person can continue to live on, even though their body does not." His eyes met with Impmon's. "The loss always hurts initially, but… Keep them in your mind and heart, Impmon, and they will be with you always."

Impmon's eyes wavered before filling to the brim with burning tears, and with a small sob he averted his gaze and wiped them furiously. "S-So… As long as I remember them… They're still with me?"

Leomon only nodded.

Impmon sniffed, turning his attention to the window not far from where he lay. Rain drummed calmly against the glass, and as a stray tear ran down Impmon's cheek, a small smile came upon his face as he closed his eyes. He could still visualize the feel of the rain against his body, the icy chill of it when he jumped into puddles… The sound of Mako's laughter, the sound of Ai squealing as Mako chased her with a worm in his hand… The warmth of the blankets they'd wrapped themselves in… And the tired smiles on their faces, proof of a day well spent….

Yes…

He'd always have that memory, along with countless others…

Always.


	15. Goodbye

12: 03 am, the clock on the wall read.

Impmon lay in silence, turning his gaze to the ceiling for the umpteenth time that night. He couldn't sleep; Leomon's words had created a veritable cacophony of afterthoughts in his mind… On top of everything that had happened in the past few days, he supposed that his exhaustion and depression had allowed for this needless anxiety to build up, causing his mind's corridors to be flung open despite how late it was, despite how tired he was.

And he was tired…

He never knew that depression could be so physically draining…

But now, the feeling wasn't as severe as it was before…

He turned his head, glancing over in Leomon's direction. The large Digimon had taken a seat against the wall of the room. He sat cross-legged against the wall, his muscular arms folded across his chest. His head hung slightly, his chin resting upon his thick blonde mane. He was breathing steadily, sleeping.

Indeed, the house was quiet, lulled into a hushed state by the cloak of night. The rain had stopped, leaving faint water spots on the window. He silently got to his feet and walked over to it, looking out at the night sky. A few scant clouds hung in the dark sky as pale moonlight filtered into the room ever so slightly.

The dissonance of thoughts in his mind was only amplified by the night's silence… There was something he had to do, and he had to do it before he lost his sanity.

Leomon's words had been wise, and had stricken a chord within him which prompted this insomnia… He'd always have memories of his Tamers, but while he was in this world, he'd have to learn to let go of the physical remnants… Clinging to whatever physical evidence he had of their existence only served to undermine their eternal existence in his mind and in his heart, so now… He had to say goodbye to that.

He had to say goodbye to what was holding him down.

He strode silently across the room and exited, making his way down the corridor toward the front door. As quietly as he could manage he pushed the door open, stepping out onto the front steps and staring up at the night. Indeed, it was quite clear now, and he felt his entire body bathed in the soothing light of the moon. Closing his eyes, he Digivolved into Beelzebumon.

Graceful ebony wings spread as though savoring the moon's light, and he couldn't help but draw in a breath of cool, night air. This would be a good night for what he had to do.

There was a floorboard creak behind him.

"Beelzebumon?"

The demon Digimon turned slowly. Juri was standing behind him, a small glass of water in her hand. "What're you doin' up?" He said softly.

"I was thirsty… What are you doing? Where are you going?"

He turned away from her, glancing skyward. "There's somethin' I gotta do. Somethin' that can't wait."

"Is it so important you have to try and sneak away in the middle of the night?"

"… Yes."

"Will you be back? Everyone will be worried about you if they find out you're missing in the morning…"

"Everyone?"

"Ruki and Renamon stayed over; Renamon wasn't convinced that you're alright yet.."

He gave her a slight smirk. "Heh, well… You tell Fox Face she can stop motherin' over me; I'm a big Digimon now."

Juri didn't look convinced. "Beelzebumon…"

His smirk faded, giving way to a grave expression and a solemn tone. "Juri… I have to do this… Leomon was talking to me earlier about physical bodies and essences and… It got me thinking… I've got to say goodbye to the physical if I want to move on…" He turned from her and began walking away. "Thanks… For lookin' after me--" He halted; something grabbed a hold of one of his sleeves. Glancing down, he spotted Juri, her hand clasped upon his sleeve and her eyes locked on his. "J-Juri…"

"Can I… Can I go with you?"

He eyed her.

"Please… I don't want you going alone… I don't like you always being by yourself."

He kept his eyes locked on hers before finally caving in with a sigh. "Alright," he said, carefully scooping her up into his arms. "But we gotta stop by somewhere first."

A powerful flap of his wings sent them airborne, the houses passing below now nothing more than tan and brown blurs. The cool night air enveloped them both as they flew, causing Juri to shiver slightly. Noticing this, Beelzebumon tightened his hold upon her; he didn't need her catching a chill. Juri felt warmth rush through her body, starting up in her cheeks as a blush reddened them. Before she knew it, they were slowly beginning to descend…

It was his home.

They stood outside of it for a few moments, and as she looked up at him, she noticed he seemed to be trying to compose himself. His eyes were locked on the house, and he was practically frozen on the spot. There was a desperate mental threshold he was going to cross, she could feel it…

Beelzebumon flinched as he felt something take his hand, and he glanced down to see Juri's small hand holding his own. Their eyes met, and she gave his hand a small squeeze, as though urging him on. His eyes faltered, and as he looked back at the house again, he found his mobility once more and moved forward.

Taking her into his arms, he easily climbed over the fence and into the backyard. He glanced around, treading silently as though even the slightest noise would disturb the stillness of the empty home. Grass crunched beneath his boots as he made his way to the porch, and he gulped as he reached for the sliding door leading into the house…

It was open, just like it was always left open for him.

Whenever they left on trips in the past, Ai and Mako would leave the door unlocked for him, and this trip had been no exception…

But this would be the last time he'd be here.

The door slid open, and as he ducked into the doorway, Beelzebumon inhaled the scent he'd longed for… Crayons, coffee, old furniture… He'd always remember that scent; it was the scent of home, of those whom he'd loved…

Juri followed him silently as he slowly made his way through the house; he seemed to be getting a last look at things. He halted just before the room which had belonged to Ai and Mako, staring into it endlessly. He almost felt as though he were violating the silent sanctity of the empty home, but… He needed to do this… Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped into the room, his emerald eyes searching for something…

He knelt down and picked something up, and as he turned back to the doorway, Juri noticed a small teddy bear in his arms. One of its arms was neatly stitched back into place, and it looked quite time-worn. He stopped before her, and in the muted light, she noticed tear streaks running down his face.

"Let's go," he croaked when he found his voice, offering her his arm. She nodded, climbing into his protective hold as they made their way back to the backyard. He shut the sliding door behind him, casting a longing glance at his former home. With a sigh, he spread his wings and took to the sky once more.

They passed the suburbs swiftly on their way to the city, landing just at the entrance to the train station. The air was so still here, and in the distance, Juri spotted dimly glowing candles… Noticing Beelzebumon walking toward it, she followed after him.

Along one of the walls sat an enormous vigil dedicated to all those who had lost their lives in the crash. A newspaper clipping listing all of the names was tacked onto the cold cement, and below the list was a vast expanse of bouquets, framed pictures of the deceased, candles, and notes. It was a truly beautiful, yet truly tragic sight.

Beelzebumon looked down at the teddy bear in his arms, staring at it for what felt like ages before he finally set it down. He drew in a deep breath. "Ai… Mako… It's me, Impmon… I'd promised to meet you guys here when you got back, so… Here I am…" His fists clenched at his sides, and his head lowered. "I… I don't know if you can hear me or not, but… You two meant the world to me, even though we didn't have a lot of time together… I… I'm sorry that I ran away from you all those times… I… I did a lot of bad things, things that I didn't think you were old enough to understand, but… You still loved me, took me back…" His voice was beginning to waver. "There's no way for me to express how much I love you two, how much I… How much I miss you… And knowing that I'll never see you again…" Tears poured down his face, and he collapsed to his hands and knees as a sob wracked his entire body. "I know I'll never see you again, but I'll never forget the two of you, never, I swear… I swear…" Only sobs came from him now, tears beginning to form a pool just beneath him. "I swear…."

Juri felt her eyes stinging with tears, coming forward and wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could manage. His body trembled and shook with each sob, and she could feel his heart pounding away in her hold… She closed her eyes; she felt as though her heart was breaking along with his. He sat in silence for a few moments as he strained to collect himself, though stray sobs every now and then gave him away. "Beelzebumon…."

He looked down at her.

"I know they heard you, Beelzebumon… And I know that they love you too, wherever they are…"

He looked back at her, their eyes locking solemnly. "Juri… You… You really think they heard me…? And that they know how much I…" She nodded, giving him a small squeeze. His eyes softened, and he wrapped his long arms around her. "Juri…"

"Yes?"

"… Thank you… For… For everything…"

Juri blushed as she found herself being pulled into his warmth, inhaling the scent of warm leather with a small sigh. His arms held her gently, and despite the platonic nature of the gesture, Juri couldn't help but feel her heart pounding away against her chest. "Beelzebumon… If you don't mind, I want you to do something for me…"

He looked down at her, and her blush only deepened in response to the darkened, almost mysterious look of sincerity in his eyes. "Anything."

"Stay with me."

A confused look came over him. "What…? I-I mean…" He looked away. "Juri… I can't do that… I'm sorry."

"Why not?"

"You have Leomon now… You two have got a lot of catching up to do; I don't want to drag you down with me…" He felt her hand come upon his face, turning it so that he was facing her again.

"There's room in my home for you… Just like there's room in my heart for you." Her eyes lowered. "I… I know I'll never replace Ai and Mako, nor do I want to replace them… But my home is where you can stay, when you need shelter… And to know that you're not alone, and never will be."

He stared at her for the longest time, trying to contemplate that mysterious shine in those misty amber eyes… But his concentration was broken as an icy chill ran down his spine.

He snapped out of his trance, looking around warily.

He felt Juri shiver in his hold, but it wasn't so much the cold that was provoking him…

Something within was telling him to run…

To get out of there…

Someone was here. Someone dangerous…

Fog was rolling in around them slowly, as though it were a predator closing in on its prey. He knew that fog. But the power signature…

"Beelzebumon?" Juri's voice almost sounded foreign to him; he'd long since tuned himself in to his surroundings. She could see something in his eyes that in turn spread to her, making the hairs on her neck stand on end. She clung to his waist as he slowly rose to his feet, keeping her as close to his body as possible.

"We have to get out of here," he whispered softly, almost inaudibly.

Juri was more frightened than she'd ever been; the edge in his voice alerted her that something was wrong, and that he didn't want to divulge their whereabouts to whatever it was that was watching them…

The air had gone still, and was almost saturated with silence.

Beelzebumon was motionless for a moment, straining to pick up any noise…

Gravel shifted not far from where they stood.

In the blink of an eye, Beelzebumon scooped up Juri into his arms and, with a fierce flap of his wings, shot himself skyward just as something large slammed itself into the very spot they'd been standing at. He worked up the courage to look down, catching sight of two glinting red eyes….

And then they were gone.

He barely had time to gasp before he felt a presence behind him, and Juri's scream was cut off as the creature harshly swiped across Beelzebumon's back. A grunt of discomfort and a spray of blood came from the demon Digimon as he plummeted.

He'd never known pain like this; it felt like something had cleaved all the way to his spine. But he was brought back to focus as Juri clung tightly upon him, reminding him of their ungraceful descent. With a grunt, he turned his body, taking the full brunt of their impact as they slammed into the ground below.

Juri flew from his arms, tumbling a few yards away from him. Beelzebumon lay on his side, straining with all his might to rise up again. He glanced over his shoulder; the pair of red glinting eyes was advancing toward him… A large silhouette was becoming clearer and clearer… "Cha-Chatsuramon…" Fear was swiftly taking the place of the adrenaline rushing through his body now, rendering him motionless on the spot…

Indeed, the dog Deva was slowly making his way toward the two of them. Power radiated off of him in waves, visibly refracting and bending the air around him. Even the fog wafted away as power pulsed off of him, swirling around him as he came to a stop just before them… But there was something different about him this time… The power radiating off of him was giving Beelzebumon a headache, and it was hard to see straight.

Chatsuramon seemed to have gotten larger since he was last seen here, towering over Beelzebumon and staring down at him with silent spite. He sat down upon his large haunches, an eerie smile coming to his face. "That was a rather touching eulogy," he said softly. He reached out with a paw, roughly taking Beelzebumon's face in his grip. Their eyes locked, and Beelzebumon felt as though he were going to pass out on the spot; the malice behind those eyes was strangling his very essence. The grin widened. "They called for you, you know."

Juri looked up.

Beelzebumon's eyes widened. "… What…?"


	16. Loyalty

The air was still, almost frighteningly so.

Leomon's eyes flashed open as a new sensation, a new feeling struck him…

Something was amiss.

Something within his mind had told him to awaken, but what?

His eyes unconsciously turned to the window nearby, staring out at nothing in particular. His eyebrows furrowed; something was definitely amiss… Something out there.

It was a strange feeling, like small insects were crawling beneath his skin. Every muscle seemed uncharacteristically tense in response; something was awakening his defensive demeanor and he had to find out what.

His eyes scanned the room, and he was almost tempted to believe that everything was in order until he discovered that Impmon was missing. With a grunt, he got to his feet and exited the room. Where could he have gone, especially this late at night? He wondered if Impmon felt what he was feeling now…

A sudden glint of blue in the darkened hallway caught him by surprise. Two eyes, no doubt, and he felt relieved as the form they belonged to melted out of the shadows and into a muted area of light. "Covert as always, Renamon," he smiled slightly.

"You feel it too, don't you?" The golden fox turned her icy gaze to the night sky beyond the window near her. "You couldn't stay asleep either."

"Apparently Impmon couldn't, as well."

She glanced at him almost confusedly. "He's gone too?"

"What do you mean 'too'?"

"Renamon woke me up," Ruki's voice came as she too slunk from the shadows, tucking her Digivice into her back pocket. "She said something didn't feel right. Sure enough I woke up to tell Juri we were going out to look around, but…"

Leomon stiffened.

"Don't worry just yet, Leomon," Renamon said sternly, turning and walking calmly toward the front door. "The fact that they are both missing is no coincidence. It is entirely plausible that they are together, but we don't know that for sure. Either way, the most important thing right now is to find out what it is that is affecting the two of us…" Her eyes narrowed. "Something is out there… And we need to find out what it is before it finds them."

The front yard was eerily quiet as well. Every blade of dew kissed grass was motionless, and not even the slightest breeze blew. No clouds in the starless sky, and even in the distance, the rigidity of the city seemed odd.

Renamon knelt down and picked up a long, sleek black feather. It belonged to Beelzebumon, no doubt about it, which only further escalated the strange situation unfolding… Had he gone to investigate the unknown phenomenon which had roused them all from their slumber, and taken Juri with him? She eyed it contemplatively, glancing over her shoulder at Leomon who was staring off into the distance. His massive fists were clenched at his sides, his muscles rigid and taut with stress. With a sigh, she made her way over to him. "If anything happens to her…" He growled low, clenching his fists tighter.

Renamon gave him a look. "I don't think you need to worry so much so soon."

"You're one to talk," he hissed dangerously. "Your Tamer is right over there, safe and in sight… Something out there is making my flesh crawl, and if she's not with me, then she's not safe out there."

"Do you remember what I said? It is plausible that he is with her."

"That doesn't make me feel any better. I'm her partner; her safety is my priority, and I can't keep her safe if I don't know where she is."

"Then he will."

Leomon glared at her out of the corner of his eye. She only looked back at him calmly, running her claws delicately along the sleek ebony feather in her hands.

"You give him too little credit, Leomon… After all, he loves Juri just as much as you do, and he knows that you love her. If he is with her, he will keep her safe. And if he is not with her… He'll find a way to do it anyway." She tossed the feather aside. "But even so, we aren't doing much good by engaging in idle talk."

"Are you two coming or what? I didn't wake up at this hour to admire the front yard," Ruki called.

Renamon cast a short glance at Leomon over her shoulder before trotting over to her partner, leaving Leomon to stare at the black feather on the ground. It shone brightly in the moonlight, illuminating shades of blue and indigo which he hadn't seen on it before…

He sighed; he truly had no choice, not until they found their missing friends.

And until that happened, he'd have to rely on whatever protection Beelzebumon had to offer… He only hoped he didn't have to rely on it for too long.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A small bead of sweat crept down Beelzebumon's face, his trembling eyes locked on Chatsuramon as the large Deva paced around them in a large, torturously slow and predatory circle. With all of his attention on Chatsuramon, he almost didn't feel Juri clinging to his leg.

The Deva regarded him with beady crimson eyes, eyes which held a maliciously jovial glint to them…

Chatsuramon's words to him moments ago were cryptic, striking a chord deep within Beelzebumon which left him with a sinking, empty feeling… His voice came out before his mind had time to register what he was actually saying.

"Called for me… What… What are you talking about?"

The Deva ceased his pacing, regarding Beelzebumon with a dark, amused grin before erupting into hearty laughter. "You daft fool… Mourning for the very beings you buried."

Beelzebumon felt his heart drop, his entire body trembling.

Another laugh, and the pacing continued. "Ironic, isn't it? That your very memories were the key to their undoing… Two of them, correct? A little boy, a little girl? Riding on Train number 9, due for arrival at the station at 8:00 that Monday morning? I must admit, I was excited about them arriving as well…" There was a malicious twinge of arrogance in his voice. "That was why I decided to get there early."

Emerald pupils dilated to the size of pinpricks, his body completely numb. "The accident… It… It was you…"

"How soon you forget my words to you… About how your thoughts and memories would serve to benefit me in the long run…." He grinned. "Remember?"

Beelzebumon stiffened; he couldn't believe what he was hearing… What he'd just discovered… Even Juri was stunned to silence; with everything falling into place, the particulars about the train accident were far grimmer than either of them would have guessed…

Far more brutal...

"All those people…." Juri found her voice, even though it was shaking in fear and anger. "You monster…" She gripped onto Beelzebumon tightly and looked up at him; he was visibly shaking all over.

"Damn you…." Beelzebumon growled low, almost inaudibly. "Those kids meant the world to me!"

A look of indifference came upon Chatsuramon's face. "Those children were worthless, just like the rest of those filthy, upright walking collections of organic waste. They only seek to put us on leashes and command us…" His eyes narrowed. "How pathetic it is for you to still be bound to burnt corpses--"

Chatsuramon only saw a black blur, and the next thing he knew, he was sent tumbling across the ground. In all honesty the blow had taken him by surprise, and as he came to a stop in the middle of the street, Beelzebumon roughly landed atop him.

Beady red eyes widened at the intensity, the fury, the unabated hatred in Beelzebumon's. "Do you realize what you've taken from me?!" The demon Digimon shrieked, striking Chatsuramon's face hard with a trembling, balled up fist. "They were everything to me, EVERYTHING!!" He reared his hand back again, slashing upon the struggling Chatsuramon's face relentlessly with his steel plated claws.

In an instant, Chatsuramon reared back and swatted Beelzebumon away, getting to his feet and giving a sly grin, despite how much his face stung. "You waste your emotions on those charred brats…" His voice lowered. "It is only further testimony to your descent into triviality. You are an embarrassment; clinging to beings that lack vitality, intelligence, significance… They called for you because their underdeveloped, obsolete forms could not withstand the fire scorching their flesh, the metal cleaving into them, bones so easily broken… Yet, for all it is worth…" His grin turned devilish. "As I heard them calling for you, I enjoyed watching them burn."

That did it.

That hollow feeling Beelzebumon had only lasted a split second before fury engulfed his entire being like a wild fire burning out of control. His eyes flashed red, and his fists clenched so tightly that his claws dug into his palms and drew steady streams of blood.

An aura pulsed around the demon Digimon, one that shattered the glass of a few windows around them and knocked Juri off balance.

The girl's eyes widened as she looked upon Beelzebumon's raging form, and the fear she thought she'd forgotten long ago was now trickling down her spine like blindingly cold water.

This…

What he was becoming…

This anger which had swept over him like a shadow was taking hold of him, unleashing his deepest hatred with no restraint… And it frightened her. She never thought she'd be able to feel the anger radiating off of anyone, but now…

Dust was flung swiftly as a powerful flap of ebony wings launched Beelzebumon's form forward, his claws gleaming like daggers in the moonlight. Tears of anger stung his eyes, but they didn't fall.

He'd never wanted to raze, disfigure, and kill something this much in his entire life; it was a painful, yet overwhelming sensation, like a release yet to be realized…

There would be pain.

There would be death.

There would be merciless punishment for this monster, this abomination which had stolen from him the very people who made life worth living…

With a vicious, almost animalistic growl, Beelzebumon lunged forth at Chatsuramon, his emerald eyes tainted with a sudden glow of malicious intent. That wild fire within him was burning him from the inside out, electrifying every fiber of his being and replacing reason with blind fury. He almost didn't feel like himself anymore; like the Beelzebumon which had been saying his last goodbyes to his Tamers not long ago had melted away into darkness, giving birth to something born from pure hatred.

He'd never felt like this before…

It scared him, despite how much he liked the way this release felt…

After all the days of mourning his Tamers, knowing the truth behind their deaths had triggered this sense within, this sense of bringing about brutal closure and heartless justice… Their departure had indeed ripped something out of him.

His ability to feel remorse.

Chatsuramon would beg for death when he was done with him. Beg.

The Deva's eyes narrowed as he dashed swiftly out of Beelzebumon's path, the concrete violently shattering where the demon Digimon's fist had connected. He grinned inwardly; the Digimon he'd absorbed were painstakingly selected in case of a situation like this. He now had speed, greatly improved strength, and he had more stamina than he'd ever had in his life… He'd be sure to thank his ex-lackey for introducing this lifestyle to him before deleting him.

"Stop running away, you coward!!" Beelzebumon roared, cleaving a lamppost clean in half with another vicious swipe as Chatsuramon sidled out of the way at the last moment. He glared death down at him, his pupils positively trembling with unimaginable fury. "You're going to pay for what you did to Ai and Mako, you hear me?!"

"Oh, am I?" Chatsuramon dodged again, letting out a hearty laugh. He perched upon a building ledge, ignoring Beelzebumon's burning glare. The Deva's gaze traveled down to Juri, his eyes darkening slightly as a grin came to his face as their eyes locked.

That was her…

The girl his soldier had betrayed him for…

She was small, young, and weak… And she was next on his list.

"I never thought that a Digimon could feel such a connection to humans," Chatsuramon said in a nonchalant tone, giving Beelzebumon a beguiling grin. "Your loyalties are uncanny and unwavering, it seems..." His eyes narrowed, and a bright aura surrounded him. Small glowing orbs of white energy emerged from the aura, floating around him like miniature satellites. "But it only makes me wonder how far you are willing to go… When something can be done to prevent their utter destruction."

Beelzebumon gave an uncomfortable grunt; where was Chatsuramon going with this…?

"What are you willing to risk… For that little girl down there?" The orbs began spinning at a blinding speed, and with a laugh, Chatsuramon launched four of them in Juri's direction.

Beelzebumon felt his entire world go cold and silent, his eyes wide with fear. Initially his shock held him still, but Juri's scream for help only alerted his senses once again. Ebony wings sped him forth through the cold night air like a bullet, beating them hard in a desperate attempt to reach Juri before the orbs did.

Time seemed to slow down.

As he neared her, only one sound, only one thought reverberated in his mind…

The resounding answer to Chatsuramon's last question…

He narrowed his eyes, speaking it to himself in his mind.

'…Everything...'


	17. Just In Time

"Juri!"

With this one word, this one name, Beelzebumon forced his body forth, forced each wing to move as fast as it possibly could. The wound on his back, which he had forgotten during his bout of rage, was now making itself blindingly obvious, sending shockwaves of pain across his spine. Moving his wings was now proving to be a feat of impossibility, but he needed all the speed he could muster.

He could see the orbs closing in at breakneck speed; this would be a stretch, but he'd manage it. With a grunt and a last burst of energy, Beelzebumon dove forward and swooped Juri out of the path of the orbs just as they smashed into the building behind her…

But he'd underestimated the force of the attack… He didn't know whether it was due to Chatsuramon's increase in strength or not, but the impact of the orbs sent out a large shockwave as well as countless chunks of debris… Shielding her with his own body had been a valiant, if not selfless idea, but as a shield, he was graced with a rain of concrete which unceremoniously struck him in the head.

The world went black for a split second.

He couldn't hear anything.

The world was slightly hazy, and everything was muffled and muted…

Juri was laying on the asphalt not far from him; the shockwave must have loosened his grip on her, and crashing into the ground must have knocked her loose… He cursed himself, straining to lift himself up… He had to get her out of here…

"Disgusting…" He heard Chatsuramon's voice behind him. Beady red eyes were approaching through the fog and mist slowly, flashing with unmistakable odium. "Absolutely revolting, that is what you are, you filth." Beelzebumon trembled as Chatsuramon loomed over him, glowering down upon him. The Deva's eyes traveled to the demon Digimon's wound. "Clinging to these worthless sacks of matter, sacrificing your pride as a Digimon for beings so easily destroyed?" He raised up a paw, his claws gleaming in the moonlight. A glint of silent glee shone in his eyes at the look of fear which suddenly eclipsed Beelzebumon's face, slowly lowering his paw onto the wound.

He didn't place any pressure on it.

Not yet.

He could feel Beelzebumon trembling beneath his paw, could sense his panic, could smell his fear… It was all delectable.

"Willingly risking your own health, your own life, for that organic pile of stunted growth… Your allegiance has made you soft… Weak… Vulnerable."

He applied a bit of pressure, his claws delving neatly into the previously cleaved gashes. Beelzebumon squirmed and let out a groan.

"It sickens me to look upon such a disgrace to the Digital World as yourself."

Fresh blood, warm and sticky, was seeping out of the gashes now, coating Chatsuramon's steadily descending claws. The demon Digimon was growling, both out of anguish and defiance.

Juri groaned from where she lay, rubbing her head as she sat up. Her eyes widened; where was Beelzebumon?

A strangled groan in the distance caught her attention, and she felt the blood drain from her face at the sight she beheld… The Deva had Beelzebumon pinned down, and as she squinted, she could see the demon Digimon's face scrunched up in unspoken agony…

She wasn't sure what went off within her body upon seeing such a gruesome sight…

Disgust?

Frustration?

Anger?

Or maybe a combination of all three?

She could feel her fists balling at her sides, tears of rage coming to her eyes… She had to do something, anything. Beelzebumon had risked so much to keep her safe, to keep her happy over the past few days, and he'd sacrificed more than she could ever imagine…

And now it was her turn.

It was her turn to return the favor.

No longer would she sit and watch him endure suffering he didn't deserve…

"Leave him alone!!" Chatsuramon looked up to see Juri running toward him, but didn't react quickly enough. Armed with a concrete slab, Juri reared back and flung it with all of her might in Chatsuramon's direction. The impact didn't hurt at all; it was sheer surprise which caused him to leap away from his downed prey. Amber eyes which had once harbored innocence and kindness were now hardened and burned with animosity. Panting, Juri knelt down and covered Beelzebumon with her own body, hugging him close.

"J-Juri…." She heard him groan, only responding by squeezing him tightly.

"I won't watch anymore," she said in a hushed tone. "If he's going to hurt you… He's going to have to go through me first."

"Is that so, little girl?" Chatsuramon chided. "My, what unmistakable courage you exhibit…" A dark look came over his face. "I suppose that is all you have to defend yourself--"

His ear twitched; there was someone else here with them.

A flash of gold alerted him, bounding a few yards away as the sharp end of a golden staff jammed itself into the ground, sending chunks of dirt and concrete in all directions. He narrowed his eyes as a graceful figure descended from the sky, deftly ripping the staff from the ground and wielding it defensively. Glorious golden armor framed the lithe, sleek figure as her hair, long and silver, danced like silk in the faint breeze. There was a combined air of elegance, beauty, and strength about her, radiating off of her like perfume. Chatsuramon backed away slightly, studying her… She was strong, but reeked of the foul stench of a human…

Juri looked up at the figure which was now standing before her, a warm look of relief coming to her face. "Sakuyamon," she whispered. Indeed, the shaman Digimon glanced over her shoulder at the small girl and gave her a slight smirk, as though letting her know that everything would be alright from this moment on. Something heavy landed behind Juri, and as she glanced back, she only felt more relief to spot Leomon swiftly making his way up to her. "Leomon!"

The look of worry melted from his face as he made his way to his Tamer, greatly relieved that, despite her minor bruises and cuts, she was alright. Their trek from Juri's home to this very spot seemed to have lasted for ages, only because of his concern for her safety… But upon laying eyes on Beelzebumon, he understood why she was more well off than he thought. With a grim face, Leomon looked toward Sakuyamon. "It looks like we got here just in time; he's not looking too great," the lion Digimon growled.

Sakuyamon regarded Beelzebumon slightly out of the corner of her eye, turning her attention back to Chatsuramon… Something was making her feel light headed; deep within, both Renamon and Ruki felt it too. "Renamon," Ruki breathed heavily, wrapping her arms around herself… Why did she feel so cold…? So constricted…?

"I feel it too, Ruki," Renamon's voice came from all around her, laden with what sounded like fatigue.

Staring down Chatsuramon was awakening Sakuyamon's connection to living things, and at this particular point, it did not feel like a beloved gift… Her heightened senses alerted her of all the Digimon trapped within Chatsuramon's make up; she could hear them calling out in distress, calling for help, asking to be set free. The feeling was deafening, as though she could feel her own life force being bent by the sheer magnitude radiating off of the Deva…

How many were there? There were too many voices, too many cries, to determine for sure…

Sakuyamon felt herself wince. The Deva's power greatly rivaled her own at this point, but with his aura giving her such intense vertigo, she'd have to be careful… "Beelzebumon, can you stand?" She said.

The demon Digimon slowly got to his feet with the help of Juri and Leomon, looking just as shaky as ever. His back stung like mad, and he was still a bit woozy from the blast's shockwave. He glanced in Sakuyamon's direction, giving a tired grin. "Fashionably late as always, Fox Face?"

"This is no time for jokes," he heard Renamon's stern tone say. She cast Chatsuramon a wary glance before making her way over to her downed friend. "It's up to you to get her out of here," she whispered. "Leomon and I will handle this."

Both Leomon and Beelzebumon did a double take, and then stared at each other. Beelzebumon knew that Sakuyamon had a point in her command; with his injury he'd be more of a liability than anything else, plus, if he wanted to keep Juri safe, the smartest thing to do would be to retreat. But there was a look in Leomon's eye which was making him feel uneasy…

Leomon had worried himself nearly to death on the way here, and now, he was to let Juri out of his sight once more? It was preposterous; he was her Partner and would continue to act as such… But before he opened his mouth to object, he did a swift mental recap of the situation unfolding… He himself was at the apex of his strength, but Beelzebumon was not. If he retreated with Juri, he'd be placing Beelzebumon in more danger… He cursed under his breath; there was no way this could go the way he wanted it to…

"Do as I say, Beelzebumon," Sakuyamon said sharply.

As much as he would have liked to stay and help his friends fight, Beelzebumon knew he wouldn't last for long out here, and that Juri's safety was the utmost priority. After all, it was his fault she'd been out here in the first place, so it was his duty to keep her safe. "Let's go, Juri," he whispered silently, scooping the girl up into his arms. Before he could dash off, however, he felt a large hand clap heavily onto his shoulder. He winced, looking back to see Leomon's grave face. "L-Leomon…?"

The lion Digimon kept his eyes on Beelzebumon's for a few moments before sighing. "You… Have kept her safe up to this point… I expect you to continue doing so. I… I trust you…" It took him a while to believe the words he'd just said, and as they left his lips, he found them making more sense than he previously thought… Beelzebumon wasn't a reckless fool… He had just as large of a heart as everyone else, and he loved her just as much as he did… "I trust you."

Those words spoke levels of encouragement to Beelzebumon, and with a swift nod, the demon Digimon took off. 'He trusts me…' He said to himself again and again… Those words meant a lot to him, and he didn't intend on letting Leomon down, not ever.


	18. Into The Fray

Chatsuramon regarded Sakuyamon with unchained animosity, turning up his nose in disgust at her form. "You reek of a human's scent mixed with your own," he hissed. There was no denying that the joining of humans and Digimon in battle yielded positive, powerful results… But that was what made it so disgusting. "I have only heard tell of such a union… And seeing it with my own eyes only makes me feel more revolted."

"Well then," Sakuyamon chided, "it will be all the more rewarding to defeat you in this form, since you are so bound to your elitist ideals that you cannot see the harmony of humans and Digimon joining in battle." Her voice lowered. "Yet even in your crusade, you slay your own kind… You are nothing more than a walking hypocrisy."

He could hear her saying more words, more elegant insults aimed to chip away at his pride, but he paid them no heed. He squinted, glancing past her at the fleeing form…

His eyes narrowed; his primary targets were escaping, and this human-merged abomination was standing in his way.

A fierce aura exploded off of his body, shattering a few windows in the vicinity and knocking Leomon and Sakuyamon for a loop. With a roar, he dashed after his ex-soldier.

Sakuyamon swiftly got to her feet and dashed after the dog Deva with Leomon close behind her. "He's spotted them," she said. "We've got to keep him away from them, at least long enough for them to get out of sight."

Leomon, however, sprinted past her in a golden blur, his eyes burning with rage. He wouldn't let this monster touch one hair on Juri's head, not a single one. With a growl he brought his sword up over his head, swinging it with all of his might. Chatsuramon glared over his shoulder at the lion Digimon, bounding out of the way just as Leomon's sword just barely missed his flank.

Chatsuramon's distraction left him open as Sakuyamon prepared to attack. A series of almost hypnotic motions with her hands summoned a strong gust of wind, and as the Deva landed to brace himself, he swiftly came to regret it. The wind itself was a brilliant amethyst color, speckled with what appeared to be shards of crystal. He roared as the shards cut his flesh, glaring upon Sakuyamon with bitter fury. The attack had been strong, but he was far from winded…

He was infuriated.

The nerve of these two infidels, standing up to him as if they had a chance of success. He glanced over his shoulder to see Beelzebumon disappearing into the night, turning a heated glare back at Leomon and Sakuyamon, both poised and ready to attack.

"You will regret shifting my attention to you," he growled.

Beelzebumon chanced to look back at the slowly unfolding battle below, ignoring the pain along his spine with each strained flap of his wings. "Damn it," he hissed under his breath as he noticed the expression on Juri's face. She wanted to be there for her partner, he could sense it. The other children were always there for their partners during battle, and as much as he hated to admit it, she was more of a liability than he was at this point. After all, she'd be the only human in Chatsuramon's range to attack if she stayed. Not only that, but the Deva knew Beelzebumon's connection to her, and knew that it would destroy him inside if any harm came to her… With a growl, he reluctantly sped off toward her home. She carefully climbed through her window, falling into a deep bout of silence as Beelzebumon ducked in after her. He approached her slowly, a concerned look on his face. "Juri…"

"Don't say it," she snapped bitterly, not looking up at him. "I don't mean to be a burden to them or you, but that's how it always ends up. I always have to be the one who gets rescued, and it's not fair that I can't take a turn at doing something beneficial…"

He regarded her for a moment, and then turned his attention back to the window with a sigh. "You mean to say you don't think you've done anything beneficial?"

She looked up at him.

"You don't have to have powers like us to do something beneficial Juri, don't you ever think that… You humans… You have power, you just don't know it."

"What do you mean…?"

"You can do such simple things, but in the end, they speak in volumes. Your words and your tears were what spared me back in the Digital World long ago, Juri, not a well placed attack or a special power… Your bravery spared me again today, when you put yourself between Chatsuramon an' me… And even…." His voice cracked a bit. "Even when I had gone to fight the D-Reaper, all it took was a toy gun from Mako and a… k-kiss from Ai to give me all the confidence and power I needed…"

Juri was silent for a moment before walking over to Beelzebumon and wrapping her arms around him. "Thank you…"

His eyes softened slightly, but there was a grave look on his face. "Juri, there is something you can do to help right now."

He was met with a hopeful amber gaze.

"Sakuyamon and Leomon will need some back up. Call Takato and tell him what's going on." He made his way back to the window, ready to step out of it before Juri stopped him.

"You're going back?"

He sighed, not turning to face her. "I was the one who started all of this. It wouldn't be fair to let Sakuyamon an' Leomon pick up my slack. I'm going to help them finish this once and for all."

Juri looked down at the floor, her phone clenched in her hands. "Leomon…"

His voice softened. "You don't have to be worried, Juri. He knows that you're here waiting for him, so he'll come back fine. I'll make sure of that, just for you."

"W-Wait…"

There was the sound of a chair scooting across the floor, and Juri carefully climbed upon it and stood on her tip toes. She'd forgotten how much taller Beelzebumon was than her, but it didn't matter. He gave her a confused look. "Juri, what're you--"

She placed her small hands on his face, their eyes locking solemnly. Beelzebumon gave an uncomfortable grunt; there was something in those amber eyes which was causing a warm blush in his pale blue cheeks. Juri closed her eyes and leaned in close, Beelzebumon's eye twitching as his cheeks grew warmer and redder. Her lips came to rest upon his cheek, and he felt his entire body go rigid with shock. His head jerked back slightly, but her hands still held him somewhat firmly as her eyes locked with his again. "Thank you, Beelzebumon… For everything."

He somehow found the strength to pull away, the telltale blush still clinging to his face. "Y-Yeah yeah, sure," he grumbled in a shaking voice. His hand unconsciously came up to the cheek she'd kissed… He felt something inside, similar to what he'd felt when Ai had kissed him there… But it felt different… Stronger… He cast a glance over his shoulder, gave her his trademark smirk, and then took off into the night.

As Juri watched him disappear into the darkness, an obsidian feather lazily floated down to her floor. She blinked, picking it up carefully and looking it over… It was dirty and frayed, and small dried patches of blood were stuck to it, giving it a weathered look. It was a remnant of everything they'd been through up to this point, and for now, she could only hope that it would be over soon. She set in on her dresser, and then swiftly dialed Takato's number.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Obsidian wings propelled Beelzebumon's form swiftly across the night sky. His wound still hurt, but he had more important things on his mind.

This would all end tonight.

That's what he promised himself, both under his breath and in his mind.

Everyone could get back to their lives after this fight… He'd get back to his, what was left of it anyway. He hadn't thought about the aftermath of the battle until now, and it was leaving him with an empty, hollow feeling inside. Would he stay here with Juri, in the Human World? Or would he just go home, live by himself?

He grimaced.

He'd finally formed friendships here, solid ones… The thought of leaving Renamon and the others was painful, but… The thought of leaving Juri made his heart ache more than he thought possible. He wondered… Was this what love felt like? Not the kind of love he'd seen amongst paired up humans in the park… But a different one… One that he'd felt for his own Tamers…

But that only raised another question… His Tamers' deaths had left a void in him, one he never thought would heal… But Juri's kiss upon his cheek had restored something within him, revitalized him from the inside out… Was she his answer for this emptiness? Would the void be healed if he did stay?

His eyes narrowed; he'd answered his own question.

A heavy flap of his wings pushed him forth through the cold night air, adrenaline pumping freely through his veins.

He wanted a life here. A life with her. True, he wasn't her Partner, but he felt as though he'd become something more in the past few days. He was her protector, her guardian, and looking out for her had given him a sense of purpose stronger than he ever thought possible… He wanted to protect everything about her, everything she held dear, and now, Chatsuramon was threatening something... Someone… That she needed in her life.

A growl arose in his throat.

There was a bond between Leomon and Juri that he'd never have, that he'd never understand, and that's why he needed to protect it. The lion Digimon's return had rekindled a warmth within her, producing smiles on her face which made his heart melt.

He had to keep that safe.

He had to keep her safe.

And to do that, it was finally his chance to stand up against the monster he'd created and released on this world, against his friends…

He chanced a glance below. The air was growing dusty, and he could feel massive amounts of energy in the atmosphere… They were close.

A yell of pain alerted him from below, and as he looked down, he noticed the telltale fog intermixed with a heavy cloud of dust and debris.

Sakuyamon was the first to dash out of the cloud, and as she came to rest, he was able to survey her condition. Her silk-like silver hair was now hanging in a mess of dusty, matted tendrils across her back and shoulders. Her golden armor was tarnished and scraped, exposing bruised and bloody flesh underneath. Even her staff was slightly bent. However, true to the nature he loved about her, she was not about to stand down. She stood tall as Chatsuramon began approaching her, driving the end of her staff into the pavement and holding her hands together. She began to chant, and slowly, something that looked like smoke began swirling around her. The smoke began to take shape, forming into four astral fox spirits. She cast them in Chatsuramon's direction, and the four spirits swirled in a fury across the body of the monstrous Deva… As effective as they were, they seemed to help fuel Chatsuramon's anger. Now laced with burns and cuts, the Deva dashed forward and struck her with his claws, pressing his paw down upon her chest…

Beelzebumon's eyes shot open, but before he could make a move, Leomon dashed out of the cloud and knocked Chatsuramon away from her. He saw Sakuyamon budge, but she was not rising to her feet… Leomon was, at least for the moment, on his own…

But that was until a bright white aura surrounded Chatsuramon, blasting Leomon off of him… And it wasn't disappearing. It looked like the aura itself was coming apart, forming into spheres… Dozens of them…

Beelzebumon's heart skipped a beat, and a flap of his wings sent him downward at a speed he never thought he could attain.

Leomon winced, rolling onto his back and staring at the Deva standing before him… That fanged grin was now being illuminated by dozens of small lights floating all around him. The air was literally buzzing with energy now, and as he feared, it was being omitted from the small floating lights…

In an instant, each one of the floating balls of energy was fired in his direction.

He felt his blood go cold…

But everything changed when the onslaught of brilliant spheres was blotted out by something…

Something black.


	19. A Promise Fulfilled

There were numerous impacts.

Harsh, swift, and heavy, it filled the air with a deafening cacophony of pounded, abused flesh. No inch of flesh was left untouched; each glowing orb of pure energy shattered upon it with blistering strength and relentless power.

Grunts were interwoven, yet muffled, by those horrible sounds…

Chatsuramon himself had been taken by surprise by his sudden appearance, leaping back a short way and glaring hard into the dust.

The dust was clearing slowly…

"Beelzebumon…?" Leomon said breathlessly, his eyes wide.

Arms outstretched and standing firm, Beelzebumon had allowed himself to become a shield mere seconds before Chatsuramon's attack could strike Leomon. Even now, a hushed silence fell upon the lion Digimon, and Sakuyamon found herself frozen, staring upon the battered form of her friend.

A cough laden with blood choked its way out of the demon Digimon's throat. Blank emerald eyes stared forward. He spoke no words, made no more sounds. He just stood.

It was a terrible sight to behold, but neither Leomon nor Sakuyamon could bring themselves to look away. The ground around Beelzebumon's feet was almost completely destroyed, a testament to the force behind the attack… But a greater definition of the attack's power was Beelzebumon's very body. Obsidian wings, once flawless and graceful, were now battered and broken. They bent at grotesque angles, bleeding from where bunches of feathers and muscle had been blown off. His bomber jacket was laden with cuts, burns, and holes. Even the white fur lining the collar was now matted with sweat and dyed reddish brown with blood. His legs, torso, and chest all bore impact marks from the attack, bleeding freely and electrifying him with agony to the point of numbness. Very few of the orbs had made it past him, if any.

His body flinched slightly.

Long, mangled arms dropped down to his sides.

His body seemed to be giving up on him. With a grunt, he collapsed to his hands and knees.

"Beelzebumon!!" Sakuyamon yelled. Shoving her staff into the ground, she forced herself up to her feet and rushed over to her friend. She winced; he looked even worse up close.

Leomon's ears pricked up when he heard the echo of Chatsuramon's self-appreciating laughter, a fierce growl rolling in his throat as he forgot his injuries and got to his feet. "You monster… You're going to regret what you've done to him!"

"He did that on his own, the fool," Chatsuramon said curtly. "Realizing just how useless he is… He turned himself into a shield for the sake of protecting yet another worthless human pet."

Sakuyamon continued to look Beelzebumon over, but within, Ruki could feel something burning inside… She could feel Renamon's heart pounding, but much more than that, she could feel a level of anger she'd never seen her partner exhibit… She could feel it rippling through her skin like boiling water, illuminating levels of distress she'd never felt… She could literally feel Renamon's connection to Beelzebumon, and seeing him in this state was tearing away her stoic resolve. Ruki felt herself screaming inside, just as loudly as she felt and heard Renamon screaming.

Pain was forgotten.

Fatigue was forgotten.

The golden staff shone menacingly as Sakuyamon launched herself in Chatsuramon's direction with a yell, abandoning her calm composure as rage surged through her being. A fierce kick connected with the dog Deva's face, sending him careening across the asphalt.

She wasn't done with him yet.

Not in the slightest.

She dashed in at him with a speed rivaled only by lightning, leaping high up into the air. He was on his back. Vulnerable. Lean muscles bulged beneath her armor as she sped down at him, driving her staff through his exposed belly and pinning him down.

His roar of pain was music to her ears.

Sakuyamon flipped high up into the sky, and with a few swift, definite motions of her hands, sent another amethyst squall of crystalline shards down at the pinned monster.

As the onslaught continued, Leomon turned his attention to Beelzebumon. He knelt beside him, looking upon him gravely. The injuries were extensive and severe, but there was still a glint of defiance in the demon Digimon's eyes… That glint in his eye… It was strange, as though Beelzebumon were engaged in a battle all his own… The lion Digimon felt a surge of anger rush through his being as Beelzebumon let out another harsh cough, blood splattering onto the ground before him.

Leomon growled, his fists clenching tighter than he ever thought possible. Burning sapphire eyes turned to Chatsuramon, a new level of fury burning his very core. All of this misery, all of this pain… All caused by this monster… He would pay for what he'd done to Beelzebumon; he'd pay for all of these countless days of turmoil and strife… Without even noticing it, Beelzebumon had become an integral part of his life, a symbol of repentance and humility, and even now, a symbol of unwavering bravery and self-sacrifice. He'd willed his own body for Leomon's safety, and even before this, willed his own body to bring Leomon back to life without once blaming him for the repercussions…

And now it would all be ended; this one obstacle standing in their way of a new friendship and a new level of respect would be obliterated without mercy…

Chatsuramon was reeling under Sakuyamon's attack, but enough was enough. With a growl, he yanked the staff from his gut and tossed it aside, dashing up through the crystalline shards and clamping his jaws down across her midsection. The shaman Digimon let out a yell of pain, but was swiftly released as Chatsuramon was stricken in the side by a large swirling mass of fire. She fell to the ground below, clutching her midsection to lessen the bleeding as Leomon stepped forward, smoke pouring off of his fist.

"You have destroyed many lives, beast," Leomon growled as fire swirled around his fist once more. "You will not claim anymore this night." He drew his sword and, in the blink of an eye, dashed forth. Chatsuramon had underestimated the large lion Digimon's speed, dodging a split second too late. The sword gleamed a deadly silver as it practically sliced through the night air, the very force behind it lacerating Chatsuramon's vulnerable flesh. With a roar, Leomon reared his arm back and unleashed another blazing ball of fire from his fist, dashing in through the smoke as it scorched the dog Deva's side. With one massive hand Leomon roughly caught hold of Chatsuramon's muzzle and, with all of his might, slammed him headfirst into the concrete. Leomon's pupils dilated as he held his broadsword high, ready to deliver another blow.

Chatsuramon's eyes narrowed; this battle was getting monotonous and annoying. With a growl he leapt to his feet and rudely swatted Leomon away with his paw. These foes were mighty, he thought grudgingly, but he was just barely winded. True, he was laden with lacerations and bruises and burns, but it was nothing that would hamper his righteous crusade in the name of his glorious Sovereign…

The dog Deva blinked, his nose suddenly turning to the wind…

His hackles rose along his back; something was approaching… Something strong… There was a brilliant speck of light in the distance, and he leaped away just barely in time as a bright beam of energy struck and demolished the ground he'd been standing on…

Leomon landed roughly upon his feet and turned; he sensed something strong approaching too… A figure came into view, clad in mystical white armor and a long, billowing red cape. Amber eyes glowed in the moonlight, and clenched in this strange knight's fist was a long white lance which almost glowed with righteous power… Something about the scent and the power signature felt familiar…

Leomon locked eyes with this shining white knight; he suddenly felt a sense of reassurance as the gargantuan warrior bounded over him to engage in Chatsuramon. The injured Sakuyamon willed herself to her feet upon his arrival, apparently just as relieved as Leomon was, and the two immediately launched their attack upon the dog Deva. The ground shook beneath his feet, and as he looked off into the distance, something even larger than the white knight was approaching… Clad in green chrome and armed to the teeth with missile silos strewn across its gigantic form, this new figure, almost robotic in appearance, stepped into the fray as well.

The battle had shifted gears; Chatsuramon was literally dodging for his life, howling and yelping in pain in between each attack. More crystalline shards shredded his body, and when he was preoccupied, a hail of missiles from the large green automaton shattered the ground he stood upon. From what Leomon could see, Chatsuramon was furious yet outclassed, focusing his efforts on keeping out of the paths of the attacks of these colossal warriors.

Snapping out of his awe, the lion Digimon turned his attention back to Beelzebumon. Those blank emerald eyes were dwindling, and each breath sounded labored. One arm was tightly clenched across his midsection, the other trembling as he struggled to support himself. Blood still dripped freely between his fingers, sweat beads trickling down his face and splattering onto the ground. His entire body seemed to be shaking slightly, as though he were teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, or…

"I need to get you out of here," Leomon said gravely. He stepped forward to help him up, feeling a twinge of guilt as Beelzebumon let out a strangled cry.

"Had to keep…. A promise…" He panted heavily, his entire body trembling.

Leomon looked at him. "Promise? What promise?"

"Juri…" His voice seemed to be getting weaker. "Leomon… P-Please…"

The lion Digimon eyed him solemnly. Without another word, he carefully lifted Beelzebumon's mangled body into his arms and dashed off into the night. He cast a solemn glance back at Sakuyamon and the others as their battle waged on…

They would not know what he knew now…

Not until later, at least…


	20. A Temporary Triumph

Chatsuramon stood on four wobbly legs, glaring death at the three warriors gathered before him. If he wasn't in so much pain, his adrenaline would have taken over along with the rage boiling in his veins.

He narrowed his eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Not in the slightest.

These warriors… They were Digimon; he knew that much… But the staunch aroma of humans was enough to make him sick. Why… Why did they rely on humans when, on their own, these Digimon could maintain their honor and dignity? And what's more…

Why were they steadily defeating him?

Deep lacerations streaked across his body, and he attempted to keep as much weight off of sprained or broken limbs as he could… This level of pain was embarrassing to someone of his importance, of his Godlike regality. To think that a combination of Digimon and humans could surpass that of a Deva, even someone as strong as him, left a hollow feeling down in his gut.

But he would not stand down. There would be no more humans commanding Digimon, no more humans uniting with Digimon, no more humans "befriending" Digimon. This all had to stop, and he was the only one worthy enough to do it. The other Devas had been fools, rushing into battle and lacking the passionate understanding of their Sovereign's ideas which only he retained. He would not sink into obscurity as they had; would not surrender to death only to join his comrades in failure.

He was not a failure.

He was the last one standing for a reason.

The humans knew that they stood no chance against such mighty beings as Digimon, which is why they sought to contain them and their powers under the guise of friendship, use them for their own purposes.

Selfish, greedy primates. Always seeking to make technology better, but never stepping back to realize that technology was swiftly growing better than them. They were obsolete beings, plain and simple. Creating Digimon was the only worthwhile thing they'd done.

The Sovereign knew that his kin were rapidly evolving and could take care of themselves. They didn't need to be monitored or contained, especially by humans. Chatsuramon knew that too. By binding oneself to a human, Digimon completely surrendered themselves and their power over to humans, the very thing they were fighting against.

Sakuyamon breathed heavily; the fight was slowly dying from what she felt though Chatsuramon did not want to admit defeat. His injuries were just as obvious as their own. She glanced to either side of where she stood; MegaGargomon stood at the ready despite his claw-cleaved armor and a few bruises, and Gallantmon maintained his regal poise despite a few minor lacerations. In all, she'd been glad that they'd shown up when they did; it was definitely making the fight a lot easier. True, in her rage-fueled attack not long ago she'd dealt some damage, but nothing entirely defining. But now, it seemed as though every single attack connected, damage was inflicted, and they seemed to be chipping away at Chatsuramon's self-appreciating resolve.

They'd hurt more than just his body. They'd hurt his pride.

"Fools…" All eyes fell upon the prideful Deva, his very aura radiating fathomless levels of hatred. His beady red eyes flashed, his lips curled in a sneer as he bore his fangs. "You're all fools… Relinquishing your power to humans… Why… Why do you do this to yourselves?"

"You act as though we've damned ourselves to a horrid fate," Renamon's voice echoed within Sakuyamon. "We have done nothing more than given ourselves purpose."

"Purpose," he whispered acidly. "You call "purpose" being strung on a leash by some obsolete fleshling? Wasting your power on the well-being of something which seeks to control you?"

"There is a difference between control and the bonds that we share," Sakuyamon continued. "And what good is power when it is spent amongst savages who only use it to fight? Humans do lack the vitality Digimon have, that is true, but that does not make us better than them. They lend us a power that you will never understand or grasp; they imbue us with the power to change, the power to trust, the power to defend good beings from evil…"

"It is not power that these creatures lend to you. They only lend you vulnerability, a vulnerability which mirrors their own. Humans decompose with every breath they take, and for all of their technological success, they are rapidly declining in terms of merit… And when they die, staining the earth with their crimson filth, their Digimon pets rot with them, still bound to the twisted corpses holding their leashes." His voice lowered. "These bonds are meant to be severed, so I started with _him_."

Sakuyamon faltered slightly; there was something important behind those words, something cryptic. She searched Chatsuramon's words frantically, and with each passing second the true nature of his statement was becoming clearer…

It suddenly made sense.

The fact that the only one Chatsuramon had a true grudge against lost his partners was no coincidence, nor a cruel trick played by Fate.

"That was no accident." Dukemon and MegaGargomon turned their attention to Sakuyamon, whose voice had taken a low, hellish tone. "You… You were behind it all along…"

"Sakuyamon…?" Dukemon began.

"You were the one who caused the train wreck," she continued acidly, taking a step forward. "All of those people, including Ai and Mako, lost their lives because of you…" The last words rolled off of her tongue like poison.

Dukemon's grip on his silver lance tightened as he turned burning amber eyes upon Chatsuramon. "You monster… Those people were helpless! For goodness sake, Ai and Mako were just children!"

"You murdered all of those people just to make a point?" Jenrya's voice roared from within MegaGargomon. "You murdered them all just to support your one-sided war against humans? None of them had done anything to hurt you!"

Chatsuramon narrowed his eyes, his tail whipping about slightly. "I began with those two because they were the easiest, and _his_ connection to them was absolute. I needed to make an example of him as well as them; in the world that I wish to help my Sovereign Zhuqiaomon create, we will have no tolerance for those who associate with humans."

"Your ideals are flaccid, cur," Sakuyamon hissed. "Zhuqiaomon himself assisted us in protecting this world from destruction not long ago. He abandoned that foolish quest for human elimination when he witnessed our ability to merge with our human Tamers, as well as our desire to work together rather than fight needlessly. Our unity despite his aggression earned us his respect."

A new look had come over Chatsuramon; it was a combination of shock, disgust, and confusion. His mouth hung agape, his entire body completely rigid. His mouth slowly closed, and his brows furrowed. "You speak lies," he growled through his teeth.

"We speak the truth," Dukemon stepped forward. "We had a common enemy at the time, and only in these combined forms would we do any damage to it--"

"LIES! FILTH!" Chatsuramon roared suddenly, his aura blazing across his battered form. His eyes shone blood red, and he bore his fangs viciously as his hackles rose. "There is no chance Lord Zhuqiaomon would EVER utter such kind words to such… WALKING ABOMINATIONS!" The aura doubled in size, causing the three warriors to take a few steps back. "I will create this world for him; a world without human influence, unsoiled by human filth!" His voice dropped to a low, threatening tone. "And any Digimon blasphemer who stands in my way will be vanquished without mercy."

He dashed in at them with a powerful roar, his eyes blazing like rubies in the moonlight. The warriors scattered, blown back by the sheer concentrated power within his aura. As the swifter fighters, Sakuyamon and Dukemon exchanged glances, and then dashed down after the Deva.

Dukemon sidled in front of him and struck forth with his lance, striking the outside of Chatsuramon's forearm as he defended himself. The lance seemed to almost glow in the moonlight, and it felt as though Dukemon's very essence was being channeled into it. The smooth white steel burned against his flesh; he could feel it slowly eating away at him.

Chatsuramon growled and shot a glance backwards; his flank was exposed.

Sakuyamon dashed in with the swiftness of a sparrow, her hair glimmering like a silver river with each precise step, launching herself into the air. Her lithe form completely disappeared within the moon's light, and Chatsuramon only had a split second to leap away as the four astral fox spirits from before flew down at him at full speed.

Another glance backward; missiles were heading toward him at top speed.

In the blink of an eye his aura formed a shield, but it was a split second too late. The impact of the missiles, though somewhat deflected, knocked him for a loop. He alighted upon a lamppost, straining to keep his composure as the warriors all came upon him. With a growl, he let loose another barrage of glowing orbs from his aura, each impacting the charging warriors with deadly accuracy.

Chunks of armor and debris intermixed in the air as the warriors were beaten back by the onslaught. He almost awarded himself a laugh, but then he noticed Sakuyamon step forward.

"You are so blind by your loyalty to that elitist ideal that you cannot even see your own defeat," she spoke solemnly. The other two warriors crowded in behind her as an almost transparent amethyst shield came up around them. "You will be thwarted by your own pride and incompetence." The shield flashed white as each orb impacted it, Chatsuramon nearly jumped out of his skin when he noticed them coming back at him at twice the speed he'd dispelled them.

He didn't have time to react as they struck his body all over, letting out a roar of anger and pain.

This was it.

Sakuyamon shot glances at both MegaGargomon and Dukemon, and at once, all three of them dispersed into the air after Chatsuramon.

MegaGargomon planted his feet firmly on the ground, unleashing a blinding barrage of shining red missiles. "The bond between humans and Digimon is what we seek to protect!" He shouted. "Your blindness is the root of your defeat!" The impact was deafening, filling the sky with a cloud of smoke as Chatsuramon's form accepted most of them. Sakuyamon dashed through the cloud after him, her staff glowing a bright pink.

"This mission of hatred and ignorance is one you will never complete, cur!" She shouted, swinging her staff twice across her body. Two blazing pink blades of raw energy sliced into Chatsuramon's body, sending him careening toward the ground. A whitish-silver blur accented by a flowing crimson cape dashed beneath her, skidding to a halt and holding out his glowing shield.

"The pain you have caused our friend is unforgivable," Dukemon said slowly, his amber eyes following the plummeting Deva. "It is because of your own blind hatred that I must deliver your swift and just punishment!" His stance firm and strong, he braced himself as a brilliant white beam erupted from his shield, slicing through the sky like a bolt of lightning. It struck Chatsuramon with ethereal accuracy, as though attracted by the wickedness that festered at his core.

Chatsuramon let out a roar of pain as the beam engulfed him, his eyes opening wide and rolling back into his head. This couldn't be happening…

Defeated?

By mere children?

Defeated by those who embraced their slave-like status to humans?

He slammed hard into the concrete, sending large chunks of it in all directions. Pain electrified his entire body; he couldn't move if he tried. It was even hard to breathe, and to his horror, he noticed that he was slowly dissolving into digital specks… "N-No… No….." He breathed acidly, glaring up in defiance as the three warriors stood over him. "Y-You… Damn all of you… May you rot for all eternity along with the humans of this world… May your human masters be eviscerated by their own foolishness… May you perish, whimpering like cowards and clutching what is left of your dignity…" With this last curse, his body dispersed into the air, each speck glimmering for a short while before disappearing into the air.

He was gone.

Battered, bruised, and bleeding as they were, Sakuyamon and the others were victorious. Dukemon rested wearily against his lance, and MegaGargomon took a knee and panted heavily. Sakuyamon, however, was restless.

"What is it?" Dukemon asked breathlessly.

"Leomon and Beelzebumon… I don't see them…" She said worriedly.

"If it's any consolation," Terriermon's voice came, "I didn't see them at all during the fight once we showed up. Maybe they ducked out early to, you know, get some _sleep_?"

As if on cue, Dukemon swiftly De-Digivolved and Guilmon began sniffing around the area. He, like Terriermon, hadn't seen them on their extensive battlefield for quite a while, but either way, he'd be the only one truly able to find them at this point.

"I don't think Chatsuramon got a hold of them, Sakuyamon," Jenrya's voice boomed from within MegaGargomon. "I don't think you need to worry--"

"Beelzebumon was hurt," she interjected solemnly. "Badly. Chatsuramon was going to use those spherical projectiles to attack Leomon, but Beelzebumon stepped in front of him, and…"

There was a bout of silence between all of them, which was soon shattered by Guilmon calling them from afar. He was standing quite still, pointing a claw in the direction of the suburbs. "They went that way… But I'm scared…"

"Why, Guilmon?" Takato said concernedly. "What's wrong?"

Everyone's gaze followed Guilmon's claw as it slowly pointed down to the ground. A collective gasp filled the air. "It's _his_, Sakuyamon… _All_ of it." A green tinge came to Takato's face, and he unconsciously stepped back.

Sakuyamon winced, and then swiftly looked back up at Guilmon. "Lead us. Quickly." With that they all took off after Guilmon, trying to forget the enormous puddle of blood they'd just seen.


	21. Final Breaths

"L-Leomon…"

The lion Digimon winced as the voice came once again; low, hoarse, and weak, he could barely hear it. He could tell that, at this point, Beelzebumon was forcing himself to speak…

Forcing himself to stay awake.

Leomon couldn't bring himself to look down at the mangled body in his arms. All he could do was keep running forward through the trees, through the mist, through the darkness. But for the most part… There was nothing that could truly be done.

He knew that look. That faded, fatigued, melancholy look which clung tenaciously to the eyes of those who looked their fate in the eye… It was the look of fearful and reluctant acceptance, acceptance of what was to become of them, however painful or peaceful it was.

He knew the scent; that thick, coppery scent which was now practically suffocating his senses, clinging to his body. It was warm and sticky, matting itself into his mane, his fur, his arms…

Even as a hardened soldier, one who had seen many battles, Leomon felt a sense of distress at his very core, one that completely swayed his typically stoic reserve. He didn't understand it…

He'd seen this sight before.

He'd smelled that scent before…

This time, however… All of this was different. His past experiences offered him no solace in the face of what was unfolding before his very eyes… Or rather, what was now resting in his arms.

"Leo…. Mon…"

The voice came again, silently, almost inaudibly.

Leomon felt a pang deep down, his eyes unconsciously traveling downward. A clawed hand was now weakly clutching his mane…

No.

He couldn't look at him…

The very thought was destroying him inside.

Looking at him would mean accepting that he was suffering… That he was going to…

"We're almost there," Leomon whispered silently.

Beelzebumon drew in a sharp hiss and groaned, gritting his fangs tightly together and curling his body slightly. Leomon gave him a panicked look… He wished he hadn't looked.

He would have desired to see anything other than that face…

Trembling eyes, just barely exhausted emerald slits, gazed upwards. Dirt was caked upon the pale, bruised blue skin, and dried streaks of blood ran down from his mouth and the side of his face. Those eyes… They almost seemed to plead for help.

Leomon brought himself to look away, relieved to discover they'd finally arrived back at Juri's home. Her light was on; she was probably waiting for them… Waiting for them both to return home safely…

Inside the house, Juri glanced out her window again anxiously. She still didn't see anyone; were they still fighting that monster?

She hated to feel so selfish, but she just wanted it all to be over. She was tired of her friends being in constant danger, and though she understood what Beelzebumon had talked to her about, she still felt the urge to be at her Partner's side… If he was slain in battle again, she didn't know what to do with herself…

'Stop that,' she snapped at herself. 'Beelzebumon even said that he'd make sure Leomon made it home…'

It was strange…

That last thought felt… Ominous. After all, she was sure that Beelzebumon had enough to worry about as it was. Her eyes darkened slightly as she remembered how proudly Chatsuramon had stated that it was he who killed Ai and Mako, along with the others on that train… It was tearing her up inside; she'd never be able to comprehend the depth of despair Beelzebumon felt upon hearing that.

The sound in his voice… It was like something precious had been ripped away from him…

She wondered, then, if that was his motivation behind promising to look after Leomon. Sure, it just sounded like a side comment at first, but… She knew that Beelzebumon wanted nothing more than to return things to the way they were, including restoring Leomon to her…

A sudden light knocking on her window snapped her out of her thoughts, and she swiftly rushed over to the window and flung it open. "Leomon?! Beelzebumon?!" She practically shouted, and was overcome with joy to see her Partner perched just outside…

But her joy swiftly became eclipsed by worry as she saw the look on his face…

"L-Leomon?" She spoke slowly, quietly. "Are you alright? Is… Is everything okay?" She looked around, feeling a slight chill. "Where is Beelzebumon…?"

The lion Digimon sighed heavily, extending a hand to her. "Come with me, Juri."

Juri numbly took his hand; a hollow feeling had suddenly taken over her. The look on Leomon's face spoke in volumes that something was wrong despite his silence. "Leomon, where is he?"

He remained soundless as he took her into his arms, leaping down to the ground below. He glanced around, and then led her to a small area enclosed by bushes and full of trees. He set her down and gave her a look, giving her the impression that she was to enter alone. She searched his face with pleading eyes, wishing for any explanation as to what was going on, or why he looked so… Grave…

He was refusing to speak.

His mouth was drawn in a flat line, his jaw set rigidly. His fists were at his sides, and he was standing almost perfectly still.

"He's… In there. He… He wants to see you." He said no more, turning his weary eyes skyward.

Juri wasted no time dashing through the bushes, searching frantically for any sign of Beelzebumon. With each step, her worry only grew. Leomon wasn't explaining anything, wasn't saying anything… She suddenly halted…

She heard something… Breathing.

It was low, concentrated, and sounded labored.

Her body went rigid as her eyes searched the area. It was too dark to see much of anything, but she followed her ears. The breathing was close.

She pushed through a few clumps of bushes, ignoring how small twigs and rocks hurt her bare feet and branches clawed at her arms and legs.

She came to another halt, just before a large tree… Someone was sitting there; that's where the breathing was coming from. Apprehensive at first, she squinted her eyes. Moonlight filtered delicately through the leaves above, obscuring any truly defining features except for a few areas on the figure's feet, arms, and….

Emerald eyes…

She knew those eyes.

She knew that face.

"Beelzebumon?!" She said. "Is… Is that you?"

"… H-Heh… Who else?" His voice was so low she almost couldn't hear him.

She approached slowly, a strange anxiety suddenly gripping her body. "Beelzebumon… Are you alright…?" He didn't answer; there was only a hoarse cough and a groan. Through the filtered moonlight his tired eyes burned into her, the mood set only by his labored, rhythmic breathing. Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. He wasn't moving, wasn't speaking… "B-Beelzebumon…?"

"I… Want to thank you for lookin' after me these past couple of days, Juri…" He let out a groan, and she could hear him shifting against the tree. "Without Ai an' Mako… I woulda just fallen to pieces…"

"You don't have to thank me," she said quietly. "That's what friends do, after all… We take care of each other."

There was a low, hoarse chuckle. "Your kindness really doesn't know any boundaries, does it?" His voice lowered. "Even with Ai and Mako gone, I… I felt for you what I'd felt for them… You helped me realize that I wasn't alone… Helped me realize that I was still cared for, and I… I really appreciate it."

That anxious feeling was creeping across Juri's flesh now. "Beelzebumon… Why are you talking like this…? What's wrong?"

There was a bout of silence, accented only by steady, labored breathing. Each breath seemed to become hoarser, more forced, as though caught up in his chest. There was another hitched groan, and without another word, Juri made her way to his side.

"Please, Beelzebumon, tell me what--" Her hand had come to rest on his chest, but she cut her sentence short as her palm came in contact with something warm, wet, and sticky. Her fear told her to keep her hand still, but curiosity piloted her palm towards a sliver of moonlight. All of the color rushed from her face, her hand quivering as blood dripped from it. She wanted to scream, to say something, anything… But no words came out. She could only stare into his fading green eyes, wait for any explanation…

"I would have wanted… To stay with you, Juri," he rasped. "I would have wanted to stay with you forever…" He raised a large, clawed hand, gently placing it upon her cheek. "But it's not my place… L-Leomon is… Who you need… That's why I… That's why I had to…" He let out a low, guttural groan, putting his head back against the tree to ride out the wave of pain coursing through his body. "Your face when you saw him again… It was at that point I knew that I needed to keep your friendship safe… By any means necessary…"

Tears streamed down Juri's face as she numbly shook her head. "I love Leomon with all of my heart, Beelzebumon… But that doesn't mean I don't love you as well… There's more than enough room in my heart for the both of you…" She leaned into his touch as his hand gently stroked her cheek, placing her own hands upon his.

Their eyes met silently, tears flowing in small rivers down Juri's face. He looked so tired; his normally luminous emerald eyes now pale, faded, and practically glazed over by fatigue. His breathing was beginning to lessen; she could still hear him laboring to keep himself awake. A sob wracked her small frame as she squeezed his hand, and with a low sigh, his eyes began to close. "If that's true, Juri…"

Juri froze. She could feel a faint, buzzing sensation emanating from his body, and when she looked up, her eyes shot open in fear. A pale white aura was surrounding his body now, and it was slowly beginning to dissolve into shimmering bits of data… A scream got caught in her throat; she remembered this sight… It was a sight she'd never wanted to see again. "B-Beelzebumon…?!"

He kept his steady, exhausted gaze upon her, a tired smile on his face as his body slowly began to fade. "If that's true… Then that's where I'll always be."

She stared at him endlessly, her pupils dilated to the size of pinpricks as his body was practically disappearing in her arms. It felt like cold, unforgiving waves were crashing upon her, carrying with them the trauma of memories she'd suppressed…

Memories of loss…

Each passing second, those tired eyes of his burned into hers as her mind became ravaged by visions she'd never forget, visions which would exist only to cause her agony and remind her of the pain of loss…

Her mouth opened, and through the stillness of that cold night, her voice came back into existence, announcing itself in the form of a tearful cry.


	22. Valiant Choices

Warrior as he was, there was much that Leomon had not been prepared for this night…

That sound, in particular…

It wasn't just a scream. It was sadness in its purest form, piercing the silent night, drawing forth feelings of dread and hopelessness within all who were unfortunate enough to come within an earshot of it.

He hadn't been prepared for that sound.

Not in the least.

True, he knew it had been coming. He'd seen Beelzebumon's face on the way here; the two of them knew that it was coming… It would have only hurt Juri more if he'd told her, but even so… Nothing made this situation any easier to manage.

He sighed; there was nothing left now, except to go to her side and console her…

But even now, he didn't know if he could even manage to do that.

Knowing the extent of Beelzebumon's injuries had wounded something within him. Those injuries… They could have been his. And yet, the demon Digimon offered his own body, his own safety, for Leomon's well being… Sacrificed himself, just to send Leomon back home to Juri. The feeling was bittersweet.

His weary sapphire eyes turned skyward; already, fragments of Beelzebumon's data were slowly dispersing into the air like glitter… 'A valiant soul,' he thought to himself. 'A valiant act… And his only reward is death…'

"Leomon!"

The lion Digimon turned at Renamon's voice. Renamon, as well as the other Tamers and their Digimon, were sprinting up to where he stood; they were bruised and bleeding, but appeared relatively healthy otherwise. "Chatsuramon… Is he--"

"Defeated. Gone." Renamon spoke sharply, her eyes darting around. "Where is Beelzebumon?" Her eyes faltered as Leomon's face went grave, and all eyes followed his finger as he pointed to the data fragments dispersing into the air in the distance. "No… NO!" Renamon sprinted through the bushes and trees with the others close behind, coming to a stop as Juri and Beelzebumon came into view. Something sunk deep within her core at the sight, numbly walking forward and kneeling beside her slowly disappearing friend. "Beelzebumon…" She spoke softly.

Emerald eyes just barely budged open, obscured slightly by the dispersing data fragments now rising from his thighs. "Fox face…." He said hoarsely, managing a faint grin. He winced, raising a hand out toward her. "Hoped to… See you one last time…"

Renamon closed her eyes, letting out a sigh as she took her friend's hand. "Don't be foolish… We've been together for most of our lives… Why should I not be here now?"

He looked away from her. "I'm sorry… You had to deal with Chatsuramon… I should have--"

"You stop right there," Renamon said sharply, feeling the urge of tears. "Us fighting him in your stead is a minor issue… He became my enemy the moment he came back to harm us… To harm you…"

"Lookin' out for me, eh?" He closed his eyes. "Just like always."

Takato and the others soon made their way through the bushes, all of them falling silent at the sight. Leomon lingered behind them, just barely hidden by the shadows.

The lion Digimon felt that numb feeling inside once more, his eyes locking on Beelzebumon. He was fragmenting slowly but surely; his legs and tail were now fragments of data shimmering in the night sky above them. It angered him to know that, despite the demon Digimon's best efforts, this was his fate…

He growled.

Destiny was just as cruel as ever, he thought….

And despite his convictions, he would not stand for it. Not here, not like this.

Leomon began moving forward through the clearing, his eyes deadlocked on Beelzebumon's steadily disappearing form. The others, though reluctantly, seemed to accept this with somber silence. The children expressed their grief in a variety of ways; Jenrya lowered his head, Takato kept his eyes forward with his fists clenched at his sides, and Ruki had taken a knee next to Renamon. Guilmon and Terriermon looked on; this was a part of life as a Digimon, but the passing of others was always a saddening sight. Renamon kept Beelzebumon's hand in hers, her eyes locked on the now peaceful face. No tears ran down her cheeks; she remained strong and supportive, despite the fact that she knew she'd never see her friend again.

"Juri."

Leomon's voice came softly, and the girl numbly looked up at him. He let out a long sigh at the look on her face; tear streams stained her cheeks, and her eyes were puffy and red. He remembered that look… It was the look she'd worn when he was in this same situation… That face had followed him into death, haunting him with his inability to reassure her… And once again, Death was robbing her of someone else she loved dearly. Even as he looked down at Beelzebumon's face, he saw that the demon Digimon had silently accepted his fate. Emerald eyes were closed, his breathing was low and faint, and he lay still to allow his fragmentation to take place.

The lion Digimon knelt beside him, not glancing at Juri. "I have a question for you, Juri… An important question, and you must answer soon."

She looked at her partner quizzically as he placed his hands upon the upper portion of Beelzebumon's torso. Renamon looked ready to say something, but a stern look from Leomon halted her. "Leomon… What is it that you want to ask me?"

He was silent for a few moments before drawing a deep breath and speaking again. "Do you think… That you will be strong enough to let go… One last time?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Beelzebumon felt himself groan.

He heard himself groan.

He didn't know if he had his eyes open or shut; all around him was a fathomless, omnipresent darkness. He felt like he was swimming; devoid of any sense of weight, of volume, of dimension…

For all he knew, he simply existed here, wherever _here_ was.

There was no up, no down, no left, no right. He felt himself looking around, but without any sense of direction, for all he knew he could just be facing forward…

Wherever forward was.

As far as he knew, he didn't have a form anymore. He was just a presence existing in this endless black realm. He heard himself groan again.

'So… This is it…' Those were his thoughts, he was fairly positive… But they were being spoken out loud in his own voice. This was becoming bizarre. It was like he was everywhere, but nowhere. Like he existed, but was inexistent.

It was strange. He remembered his name, what he'd just been doing… He knew that he had died… Right?

'No… I was _dying_… There's a bit of a difference.' His thoughts announced themselves again, echoing all around him. But even so, even if he was supposed to have died… He felt as though the process of doing so had… Halted.

He didn't have a form per say, but he could feel that he existed on this strange plane, possibly in between life and death. But that was just peculiar. Why would that process just stop? He knew he was done for the minute he got hit…

And as he recalled, Leomon knew it too.

A grimace at this point would have been in order, if he were able to make one.

'Oh well,' his thoughts announced themselves aloud sadly. 'I got them back together. That's all that matters.'

"No it isn't." Another voice echoed through the darkness. It wasn't his… It was deep, stern… He knew that voice.

'Leomon…?'

The lion Digimon's form appeared in a bright flash of gold and white light, standing in the distance with his usual stern expression. "Yes. I am here, Beelzebumon."

'So… Where is here, exactly?'

"Your subconscious. You're in a suspended state of existence right now; you still exist in this realm because your body is teetering between deletion and life as we speak."

Beelzebumon paused. 'How is that possible? My body's dying; hell, my mind already thinks I'm dead, so I'm just waiting for my body to catch up."

Leomon's jaw tightened, and he looked down at his feet. "Digimon live, breathe, and bleed, just like life forms in the Real World… But when it all boils down, Beelzebumon… We're simply animated data. We can be broken down, we can be destroyed, and we can be absorbed…" He looked up again. "We do not leave corpses. We only leave memories, and for beings who live on… Those memories can be more painful than death itself."

'Yeah,' Beelzebumon's audible thoughts dragged sadly. 'When Juri lost you… That memory stuck with me up until now… That's why I didn't want her to lose you again out there. That's why I did what I did.'

"But she is losing _you_."

'… She doesn't need me. She has you. That's why I set out on this crazy adventure in the first place; to get you back to her.'

Leomon's shoulders sagged slightly, letting out a heavy sigh. "Beelzebumon… It was valiant of you to go through all the trouble of having me lifted from your data… But in retrospect, I feel that the most important aspect of this endeavor was the bond you built with my Juri… And for that reason… I must protect that bond."

'Leomon… What are you getting at?' An intense feeling of shock rendered him temporarily speechless as Leomon's feet began fragmenting into shimmering data. 'Leomon…?!'

"Don't you see, Beelzebumon? I'm not what she needs now. If anything, _you_ need her. That's why I'm here. As we speak, I'm allowing my data to be absorbed into yours. That's why your deletion process halted, and that's why we can communicate in your mind. Merging like this will give you the strength you need to live."

Beelzebumon noticed that, as Leomon began to disappear, a visage of himself began to appear within the darkness just in front of Leomon. 'Stop! Leomon stop this right now, damn it!" His arms reached out viciously, his hands wrapping around Leomon's neck. Fury burned in his emerald eyes. "You really want to leave her?! You want to open up that wound again?!"

Leomon accepted his aggression with a calm demeanor. "I'm not leaving her, Beelzebumon." The grip around his neck tightened.

"Yes you are, you bastard…" Tears of anger were welling in Beelzebumon's eyes. "You honestly think she needs to see you get absorbed into me again?!" His torso was beginning to appear, just as Leomon's legs dispersed into the darkness.

Leomon gave him a stern glare. "I made a choice to give my data to you this time, Beelzebumon. Believe you me; I love Juri too much to put her through loss again… If she loses you, Beelzebumon… You're going to hurt her far worse than anything."

Beelzebumon's eyes faltered. "You tell me something," he hissed. "Since when did I become more important to her than you?"

"Since you made the choice to devote yourself to her happiness." The grip around his neck loosened, and his eyes locked with Beelzebumon's. "Juri gave me a glimpse at what it is like to love, and to desire to protect… I cherished the time we had together; she gave me reprieve from the life of battle and pain I've had in the Digital World… I played my part in this, Beelzebumon. I helped her to believe in herself and stay strong… And now… She can help you heal the wounds that the loss of your tamers left in you. She can heal you, just as she healed me."

"Leomon… I… I can't take your place, not like this…"

Now, there was nothing more than Leomon's shoulders and face left, and though he was disappearing, Leomon wore a slight smile. "You aren't taking my place, Beelzebumon… I'm giving you an opportunity to continue a life with her. The life that you deserve." With these last words, he dispersed into the darkness.

Beelzebumon's visage stood stunned for a few moments, and then collapsed to his knees as tears of anger began to fall. His frustrated sobs were soon drowned out as the darkness began swirling and undulating all around him, plunging him into complete unconsciousness.


	23. A Bittersweet Awakening

The light was muted and hazy, as though cotton had been spread across his line of sight. Impmon blinked, letting out a low groan.

It felt almost foreign to move. He tingled all over, and his limbs all felt as though there were weights attached to them. It took most of his strength to roll his worn body into a sitting position, greeted unceremoniously by a dull pang deep in his core.

It truly was strange… Anyone brought back from the brink of death would be ecstatic to be in his place…

But no smile graced the pale white face. Not even the slightest hint of a grin.

His somber eyes burned holes into the blanket draped delicately across his small frame, his arms resting motionlessly at his sides. He felt so hollow on the inside now…

It hurt to know, to feel that he wasn't supposed to be here.

Emerald eyes narrowed, and a growl rose in his throat.

Even as he sat here motionless, he could feel Leomon's energy coursing through his body, keeping him alive. Impmon emptied his stock of swear words with silent fury in his thoughts.

He hated Leomon. He felt like he hated him with every fiber in his being.

The one chance the lion Digimon had to reunite with Juri, and the goddamned fur ball gave it up for an eternity of floating endlessly through his digital make up… He was being kept alive by a sacrifice he hadn't called for… A sacrifice which, to this point, was hard to appreciate and accept.

He'd spent all that time, gone through all that trouble, nearly gotten killed twice, and for what? For Leomon to play the valiant hero yet again, undermining all of Impmon's own sacrifices… Ruining the lion Digimon's chance at the life Impmon had stolen from him. Ruining Impmon's chances of finally freeing himself of any ties to his less than impressive past.

He knew now that, even with Leomon's life force coursing through his body, he wouldn't survive another trip to the Scanner. Leomon would remain within him forever, never to see Juri again.

Impmon felt his eyes stinging with tears; he wanted to continue to blame Leomon for this… But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Much as he pointed the proverbial finger, he only found that he was pointing at himself. If it wasn't for him… If it wasn't for the terrible choices he'd made in the past, none of this would have ever happened.

None of it.

He wouldn't have sold himself to Chatsuramon.

He wouldn't have agreed to slay his own friends for power.

He wouldn't have killed Leomon.

He wouldn't have ruined Juri's life.

… And he would have had a life with Ai and Mako…

Realization was cruel to him, raking its jagged claws across his mental essence. He'd missed so many opportunities in the past, and now, there was no going back to correct them.

As a result, he was now stuck in this terrible predicament: alive thanks to the sacrifice of one of his many victims, alone, and just as angry with himself as he had been before.

And who was going to pay the price for all of this trouble?

Juri.

The one person he'd been straining to make things right with. The one person he owed his very existence to. This failure left a gash in his heart, one that would probably never heal: he'd let Juri down once more, even after swearing not to do so…

He hated himself for his weakness after getting Scanned.

He hated himself for dragging Juri, Leomon, and the others into this…

He hated himself for getting mortally wounded, forcing Leomon to step in to cover him.

And furthermore, he hated himself for not being able to keep a promise.

This whole endeavor was simply bad comedy, its irony sour and the punch lines cruel and relentless. Everyone was laughing, except for him. He was the joke, and he'd set himself up for this without knowing it.

His ear twitched, but he did not turn his head when the door opened. The floor creaked as someone approached him silently, slowly, as if trying not to make a sound. It didn't matter anyway; his head was pounding from his own anger, and the silence itself was deafening.

It was Juri.

He knew it was her.

He knew that scent. He knew those soft footsteps.

However, he couldn't even bring himself to look at her.

"We were getting worried about you, Impmon," she finally spoke. "It's been a few days now…"

There was a bout of silence between the two of them; she was leaving things unsaid, as was he. And it was getting them nowhere fast. Impmon ached at the mere thought of opening his mouth; he felt that he'd be disgusted by the sound of his own voice.

Juri's sturdy amber gaze was locked on his dismal form, opening her mouth to speak again.

"I shouldn't be here." His voice came before hers, low and solemn. Dull emerald eyes stared down at his legs blankly, unblinking and still.

"Impmon… What are you--"

"You know what I'm talking about." Strength was building in his voice, as well as a silently mounting anger. "You know _he_ was supposed to be here… It's my fault he's not."

Juri had known it was going to come to this… That it was all going to boil down to _him_. However, it was only Impmon who didn't know what exactly had happened in what would have been the last moments of his life. "Impmon… Leomon was a wonderful friend, a brave fighter… But he was also aware of how much you wanted to stay here with me…"

"I didn't want to stay here," He lied acidly. Juri actually looked taken aback and somewhat saddened by his words, but he didn't have it in him right now to apologize. "He should have just minded his own damn business and stayed here with you--"

"He cared about my happiness, Impmon… But he also cared about yours," Juri whispered, fighting back tears of frustration at Impmon's cold words. "He… He couldn't just sit back and watch you die; after all of the kind, brave things you've done for my sake--"

Impmon glared at her. "So as usual, gallant Leomon saves the day, no thanks to Impmon… Figures I try to do something nice, then all the trouble falls on me, and he had to go and play hero and pick up my slack, and in the end he _still_ dies thanks to me!" The harshness in his voice toned down as he continued silently, almost to himself. "He shouldn't have wasted his life on me--"

Juri's hand came swiftly, taking him by surprise as it impacted sharply upon his cheek. Looking at her, one wouldn't think she could pack so much force into her tiny arms, but Impmon quickly realized his assumption was quite erroneous. He toppled over, his cheek positively stinging and pulsing as the painful sensation burned through it. He looked up at her with widened eyes; she almost looked ready to hit him again. His arms instinctively came up around his face to guard himself as she leaned forward, but instead, was pulled into a tight embrace. "Don't you get it…?" She whispered, her voice cracking as she held back sobs. "Do you really think that I'm so shallow that I wouldn't have saddened by your death? That I would go on with my life and be happy, and forget about you?"

Impmon was silent in her embrace. She had him pegged; he honestly did think that she could continue a normal, happy life without him… He honestly thought that, as long as she had Leomon, he didn't care what happened to himself and that she shouldn't have cared either. He'd failed to take Juri's infallible compassion into account, and it made him feel low.

"… I admit… I was shocked and saddened when he asked me that question…"

"What question…?"

Juri pulled back from him, looking down at her legs. "He asked me… He asked me if I'd be strong enough to let go one last time… I couldn't help but say no."

Impmon glanced at her.

"I've experienced loss so many times… But it doesn't make it any easier to let go of someone, especially you, Impmon. I finally got the chance to be your friend, and I saw a side of you that I'd never seen before… And as you were dying, I… I just couldn't bring myself to say goodbye and still stay strong. That was why Leomon did what he did…"

"But… Doesn't that mean that you said goodbye to him, too?"

Her eyes wavered. "He spoke in such a vague sense… He was talking about you, because you were dying… But he didn't leave it open enough for me to realize he was going to sacrifice his life. Either way, I'd have to say goodbye to one or the other no matter what choice was made."

"…So why me? Why'd you choose me over him?"

"I didn't choose. Leomon chose for me. He knew that if he plainly asked if I'd be okay with him sacrificing his life to save yours, I'd be torn, and you would have dissolved before I made a decision… That's why he worded it the way he did; he knew that I'd want more than anything for you not to die. So right when I answered "no" he started merging his data with yours, and it started rebuilding you before my eyes. I asked him what he was doing… And he said that he was giving me a gift of his own… He was giving you a chance to come back to us… And stay with me." A stray tear crept down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away.

Impmon's eyes faltered, and he looked away. He let out a heavy sigh, getting to his feet shakily. A lot had occurred over these last few days, more than he could comprehend, really. He was back at square one but in worse shape than he was before; there was no hope of returning Leomon to her, and he felt twice as guilty as he had before. What's more, he had no home to go to, and would probably remain this sore and scarred for the rest of his life. He needed to get away, to sort this out in his mind in a way that wouldn't overwhelm him like it was now… And she couldn't help him, not at this point. He wouldn't be able to appreciate her company until he stopped being furious with himself.

"Impmon…?"

He made his way to her window sill, not glancing back at her. It was dusk at this point, and the blackness of the night sky was setting in quickly. "… I can't stay… Not right now. There's… There's something I need to sort out."

She stood, eyeing his tense form for a few moments. "… I liked it."

He brought himself to look back at her. "Liked what?"

Tears were streaming down her face, but she wore a faint smile. "My birthday present from you… I liked it, Impmon. That… That was the whole reason for all this, right?"

He turned his attention back to the sky, preparing to leap out. "Y-Yeah… Somethin' like that."

She lowered her head, fighting back a sob. She knew that, whatever tumult was going on in his mind right now, she couldn't provide any consolation for him even though she truly wanted to. After all, it was naïve of her to assume he'd be ready to start up a new life with her when his guilt was even stronger than it had been, and was eating away at him before her very eyes. "If you ever want to come back… You know I'm here, Impmon… And I always will be."

"…Yeah." He said numbly, dashing out into the night. The air was cold against his skin, but he felt even colder on the inside as he heard Juri break down into tears after his departure. Tears of his own anger and frustration stung his eyes as he dashed blindly through the night, the sound of her crying following him, haunting him with each step. He needed closure to this self-inflicted guilt, and he needed to find it on his own. 'I'm sorry Juri… I'm so sorry.' Not caring where he was going or where he wound up, he disappeared into the night.


	24. No More Running

Emerald eyes stared forward, focused only on what lay ahead. The stillness of the night provided a silent, murky backdrop, juxtaposed by his own form as he dashed through the leaves, through the bushes, through the trees…

An endless array of blurred leaves and branches whizzed past him with each distinct movement. Each leap, each dash, and each landing was accurate and silent. There was somewhere he had to be, just like every other night, at this exact time, for the last few weeks.

He'd left no trace of himself in this time period, at which point he felt he only deserved to be a memory, not a physical presence. His very existence plagued him so, almost to the point where if he could will himself to disappear, he'd do it in an instant.

Anything to relieve him of the memories.

Anything to relieve him of the guilt.

Anything to relieve him of the knowledge that, against his will, he still existed… And Leomon didn't.

Impmon landed expertly on a branch, the white claws on his feet gripping the dry, cracked bark of the branch he now rested upon. Grooves and indentations decorated this spot, remnants of each time he'd taken this path to conduct this… visit.

And it was this very branch which constantly embodied the mental chasm he'd yet to cross. From this very branch, he could see the house…

He could see the window…

He could see the silhouette, standing vigilantly at the window. Waiting. Watching. Hoping.

His breath seized in his throat as he stared forth, and though there were only mere yards between his current position and that illuminated window and that silhouette, it felt like thousands of miles.

It may as well have been miles.

He didn't have the fortitude to close the gap between them, primarily because he was the one who'd created the gap in the first place.

"Juri…"

Impmon breathed silently as a slight breeze picked up, carrying with it his guilt-laden whisper.

Weeks.

It had been weeks since he'd seen her.

He missed her; missed those embracing arms, that kind smile, those warm eyes…

But ironically enough, it was the eyes that he feared to see the most. They'd be different this time around, he knew that. They'd be scrutinizing, fearful, and cold. They'd ask questions of him, demand answers from him, and bore into his very soul. But more than that… They'd look upon him with disgust, with disappointment, with disdain.

He supposed he was saving himself from those eyes by resting on this branch just outside Juri's window, saving himself from the guilt he'd bestowed upon himself the minute breath had returned to his lungs that fateful night…

He growled at himself.

With Leomon's strength coursing through his body for good now, he couldn't go back to her. He'd let her down, just as he figured he would.

He didn't understand.

Initially, the mission he undertook was selfless and justified; the perfect gift for the human he'd become fond of… Now, with him reeling in the aftermath of his own failure, he couldn't find it in him to face her.

Not anymore.

Not when he knew that he was occupying the space that should have been Leomon's… But that didn't make it any easier to look into that room and see how empty it was... It didn't make it any easier to see how lonely Juri was.

But those facts didn't give him the strength that he needed to leap from this branch, and knock on that window, and embrace the girl he loved as he'd loved his own Tamers.

He just couldn't.

This self-imposed penance would never cease, he thought. Not as long as he felt guilty for existing solely because of Leomon's sacrifice. In his own way, he'd keep watch over her this way. If there was anything he could do for Leomon at this point, it would be to keep her safe. He owed the lion Digimon that much.

Juri's silhouette shifted, and then drifted away from the window. Just like every other night, the warm, yellowish light was extinguished as she retired to bed. With his keen eyesight, he could see her climbing into bed, pulling the covers over her head.

He sighed.

It was selfish to do this to her, he knew that. With him refusing to show his face and Leomon gone for good, she looked lonelier now than he'd ever seen her before…

Something had to be done… He had to change, to drop this guilt and return to her. His heart called to her each time he saw her, but guilt held him steadfast in a constant state of this shameful cowardice.

Not tonight…

Soon.

With a sigh, he turned to leave…

He froze, and his ears twitched.

His head turned ever so slightly. Silent nights like these only served to amplify any sudden noises, no matter how quiet they would normally be. The sound… It was soft, but from what he could sense, it was close. Very close.

The air wasn't still anymore. He could sense something. Something… Following him.

He sat still for a few more moments, and then decided to make a move. His lithe form moved swiftly through the trees, keeping every foot placement silent. His pursuer was doing the same, and gaining on him quickly. He made a swift decision, switching up his footing and leaping down to the ground below. His feet were only on the ground for a moment before he launched himself skyward once more, now armed with a handful of stones. With fair dexterity, he flung each stone in the direction he sensed his pursuer, dashing backwards through a patch of leaves.

To his surprise, his plan backfired as one of the stones was flung back at him. It only took a split second for the stone to strike him, knock him off balance, and send him tumbling to the ground below. He hit the ground hard on his back, rolling into the trunk of a nearby tree. He groaned out curses as his head throbbed, glaring up at the scant canopy above.

"Why do you do this to yourself, Impmon?" A smooth voice purred from all around him.

His eyes narrowed as he got to his feet. "Why does it matter to you what I do, Fox Face?"

Indeed, Renamon alighted just before him, holding a few of the stones he'd thrown and tossing them into the air absently. "Did you honestly think that disappearing from her life was doing her a favor?"

He didn't answer, his eyes traveling past Renamon's form to a nearby tree. He could make a break for it if he really wanted to…

Renamon took a step forward, and his eyes unconsciously locked with hers. Those piercing sapphire eyes of hers were practically daring him to attempt escape. With a slight whimper, he took a step back. "I've watched you visit her for the past few weeks, Impmon. You do it religiously, every night before she goes to bed."

His eyes faltered. "So you're my stalker now, Fox Face? Didn't know ya liked me that much," he said sourly.

"I like Juri. That's why I'm out here, to try and talk some sense into you."

"Say what you want," he snapped. "Nothin' you say is gonna get me to go back there." He turned to walk away.

"Indeed. It isn't my job to fight your cowardice for you."

He paused, and then glared back at her. "Cowardice…? That's what you think it is?"

"You're hiding from her. Hiding from the fact that what happened, happened. Hiding behind guilt that shouldn't even exist, isolating yourself from those who care about you because of some self-imposed penance… So yes, I'd call that cowardice."

His eyes narrowed. "You act so high and mighty… You always have! You can act like you understand, but you don't, Renamon!"

"I understand guilt, Impmon. But you do not defeat guilt by running away from it. That only invites guilt to pursue you, haunt you, and consume you."

He was silent for a moment. It was true; this little vanishing act of his wasn't improving the level of guilt he felt. If anything, the guilt remained, and became stronger with each visit he paid to Juri's home each night. His shoulders sagged, and he leaned against the tree behind him. "So… You here to take me back?"

"No," Renamon answered coolly. "That choice is yours to make, not mine."

"In case you haven't noticed… I ain't had much luck with choices. Every time I make a choice… Someone ends up getting hurt. That's why… That's why I ran away. That's why I don't want to be around her. I don't want her to get caught up in my mistakes again."

"There are always negative sides to choices, Impmon, that much cannot be denied," she said softly. "But despite all that has happened… I saw you fight to defend the choice you made. You fought to defend Juri, Leomon, and the happiness you wanted them to have. That, in itself, was a very valiant choice." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Leomon made a choice as well, because he recognized how much you cared for Juri's happiness and how you were willing to risk everything for it. As far as Juri getting hurt… If that's what you fear, then it is even more important for you to be there for her, just in case."

He was quiet for a few moments, possibly letting her words sink in. With a small grin, she leapt up to a nearby lamppost, preparing to leave. "Wait…"

She heard his voice, and gave him a silent, sideways glance.

"You said that you've known about my… little visits to Juri for the past couple of weeks… Why didn't you tell the others where I was if you've known all along?"

She eyed him coyly. "It wasn't my place to tell."

He cocked his head to the side, folding his arms across his chest. "So if you weren't searching for me in order to rat me out, why have you been spying on me all this time?"

Renamon gave him a look that gave him shivers. "You call it 'spying.' I call it 'checking on a friend.' After all… Isn't that what you're doing with _her_?" Without another word, Renamon vanished from sight.

Impmon stood stunned on the spot, staring down at the ground. Renamon's words had numbed him, lacerating his body with the truths he'd been shielding himself from all this time. He'd been so busy feeling guilty for all this time, he'd forgotten what Juri truly meant to him.

Why had he gone through all this trouble?

Why had he undergone such pain?

Why had he fought so hard?

'For that smile,' he thought to himself. All of this, all of his sacrifices, had been for the girl's smile, the single most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Though all of his work had been for naught in the end, he still remembered that being around him had given her a reason to smile. They cared for each other.

He loved her.

He loved her so strongly, it was almost crippling.

It all made sense now. He'd made these choices, and though they'd turned negative, he still fought for what he desired more than anything: that smile. Leomon had sacrificed himself not to hurt Juri, but to keep her and Impmon together. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears stung them.

He knew what he had to do.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was around 12:36 am when Juri decided that she couldn't sleep. As warm as her comforter was, as soft and welcoming as her pillow was, she just couldn't drift off.

She rolled over, staring at the blaring red numbers on her clock.

Her mind was a warring squall, keeping her awake with clashing thoughts.

'Give up on him,' some thoughts said. 'He isn't coming back to you.'

'Have faith,' others said. 'He will return.'

'He hates you, that's why he's abandoned you.'

'Keep waiting, you'll see.'

She pulled the pillow over her head in an attempt to muffle these thoughts, but to no avail. Finally, with an exasperated groan, she got out of bed to get some fresh air.

The floorboards creaked slightly with each step she took, her eyes tired and downcast. She'd lost track of how many nights she'd gone without sleep, or rather, how many nights wound up like this. On the one hand, she continued to keep watch for any sign of Impmon each night. She would always tell herself 'tonight will be different. Tonight he'll show up.'

And she'd wait.

And watch.

And hope.

When she became weary, she'd be coaxed into bed by those discouraging thoughts. And as much as she hated to think them to herself, each night, she found herself being swayed toward a steadily growing pessimism. She wasn't sure what percent of her mind still remained positive and hopeful, but she did know that it was waning quickly.

She gently nudged a sliding door open, stepping out into the backyard. Everything was so still and serene, and for a few moments, her mind was at ease.

But then came the thoughts.

Those harsh, indignant thoughts.

'Why do you do this to yourself? If he wanted to come back, he would have come back ages ago.' They hissed and snickered in her mind. 'You're a burden to him, that's why he ran away. If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have experienced so many hardships. He hates you. You'll never see him again. You drove him away. It's all your fault--"

"Stop it!" She startled herself with her sudden outburst, hoping that she hadn't disturbed anyone. She peeked into her home and, not hearing her father and stepmother stirring, let out a breath of temporary relief. It was hard to realize that she was thinking such things. The thoughts blared in her mind like sirens, and she couldn't ignore them no matter what.

However, she knew she couldn't give up on this hope, this faith. Giving up was a trait of weakness, and she wouldn't dare go down that path again. A new determined look came to her face; as much as she missed Impmon and Leomon, she wasn't doing them any good by moping and not taking care of her health. She would continue waiting, but would not let her loneliness consume her. Leomon wouldn't want that.

Impmon wouldn't want that.

Casting one last glance into the night, she turned to enter her home once more…

She paused.

Was… Someone out there with her…?

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and she suddenly felt too nervous to move. She knew that all she had to do to escape this sensation was step into the house and shut the door, but… Something was telling her to stay there, and not be afraid.

A branch on a nearby tree creaked, followed by a light thump on the ground. Somehow, Juri found the bravery to turn around, and was greeted by two glowing, almost cat-like green eyes…

She knew those eyes.

The small figure came closer, stepping into the moonlight.

"… Impmon….?"


End file.
